2023-24 NHL Game Thread
- Thread starter cshea
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Pittsburgh dropped one in OT to Toronto last night. They are tied in points with Detroit for WC2 but Detroit has a game in hand.
The games in hand are happening tonight:
Washington @ Detroit - Detroit is holding down WC2, Washington 1 point back. Washington is also 2 points behind NYI for M3 so they have 2 paths in. Washington would hold the RW tiebreaker with NYI. Pittsburgh sandwhiched in between Washington and NYI and is in pole position in regards to tiebreakers with Washington, NYI and Detroit.
Flyers @ Montreal - Flyers season is basically dead. Since beating the Bruins they are 0-5-2 with ugly regulation losses to Chicago, Columbus, Montreal and Buffalo.
Rangers @ Islanders - Isles in M3 but a precarious position, they only have 26 RW, so they are behind everyone in tiebreakers.
The games in hand are happening tonight:
Washington @ Detroit - Detroit is holding down WC2, Washington 1 point back. Washington is also 2 points behind NYI for M3 so they have 2 paths in. Washington would hold the RW tiebreaker with NYI. Pittsburgh sandwhiched in between Washington and NYI and is in pole position in regards to tiebreakers with Washington, NYI and Detroit.
Flyers @ Montreal - Flyers season is basically dead. Since beating the Bruins they are 0-5-2 with ugly regulation losses to Chicago, Columbus, Montreal and Buffalo.
Rangers @ Islanders - Isles in M3 but a precarious position, they only have 26 RW, so they are behind everyone in tiebreakers.
I'd say it's more that they were playing over their heads for a while and it all finally caught up to them.
Eh, their demise started right around when he scratched Couturier. And they are 3-8-3 since he got himself kicked out of a game and suspended for 2 more. A lot of this falls at his feet.
Also the goalies are a disaster. Hart's headed to jail so that made Ersson the full time starter out of necessity (he's not very good) and now out of desparation Fedotov has stepped of the plane from Russia and into the crease. Not great.
Also the goalies are a disaster. Hart's headed to jail so that made Ersson the full time starter out of necessity (he's not very good) and now out of desparation Fedotov has stepped of the plane from Russia and into the crease. Not great.
Goalies feel like the more likely answer. Hart's last game was a 1/20 L to Colorado, breaking a 5 game win streak. They then lost their next 4, all in regulation. They did have a 4 game win streak right after but have only won 7 of the next 24 games. Without breaking out OT results, that's a "gross" record of 11-21 in their last 32 games.
Torts squeezes his team to try to get them to play over their heads and then every time they get gassed and have nothing more to give.
He's the new Mike Keenan without all the goalie nonsense. I think he's genuine in a way that, say, Coach Hardo isn't but he's only got one gear and it drains the hell out of his teams.
He's the new Mike Keenan without all the goalie nonsense. I think he's genuine in a way that, say, Coach Hardo isn't but he's only got one gear and it drains the hell out of his teams.
Of the 5 teams vying for the 2 remaining spots (I’m not giving NJD or BUF a chance), here are the reasons I don’t want those teams to get in.
- NYI – 2021 playoffs. The B’s lost to the 84 pt Islanders in 6 games (reaffirming the mantra – “Just get in and anything can happen”)
- PIT – they lost the last game of the 2023 season to the lowly Blackhawks, eliminating themselves and letting the Panthers squeak in. And Ulf Samuelsson.
- DET – with the Wings comfortably in a playoff position at the deadline, Yzerman had assets and cap space but chose to do basically nothing (ignoring the “Just get in…” part)
- WAS – Tom Wilson
- PHI – 2010, 1974
The Bruins are going to face Tampa. As such anyone who can take out the Rags is what i want - which means either Isles or Pens.
I don't think any of the Bruins' potential first round opponents are all that bad. Only two are slightly ahead in terms of 5v5 expected goals (PIT, PHI) and the rest are either comparable or worse (TBL and NYI right behind them, and WSH and DET markedly worse). The only squad with better special teams is Tampa—1st in PP, 5th in PK where the Bs are 12th and 7th respectively. But Tampa has been a mediocre-at-best defensive team, even accounting for when they got Vasilevskiy back (Nov. 24th) they're 18th in GA/GP.
There isn't a team this year like last year's Panthers who had great underlyings but struggled in the regular season due to their propensity to take penalties (which got suppressed in the playoffs). This is not to say the first round will be a cakewalk, but if the Bruins play up to their potential they should be able to win it.
There isn't a team this year like last year's Panthers who had great underlyings but struggled in the regular season due to their propensity to take penalties (which got suppressed in the playoffs). This is not to say the first round will be a cakewalk, but if the Bruins play up to their potential they should be able to win it.
Lightning have been on fire since the trade deadline. Vasy back in form, Kuch pushing for the Hart, deadline acquisitions have been outstanding. Going to be a great series.
Tampa is such a Jekyll and Hyde squad this season. They'll probably lay two eggs, play lights out twice and then battle out the remaining three games.
Tampa is the one team in the East that I wanted no part of. So that's fun. I can't even enjoy regular season games when the Bruins play them, I hate that organization that much. Up to seven games of watching them get ball washed by the refs while their shit heel coach whines about every single thing that does go his way, and even some of the things that do, is going to be fucking infuriating. I might not even watch it for personal health reasons.
lol - After Cooper there’s Torts, Maurice, Roy, and Brind’Amour. You won’t be watching until the finals.
Important games tonight with regard to MET3/WC2, especially Detroit vs. Pittsburgh as both teams are tied at 84 points and 78 games played, with the Pens ahead by virtue of regulation wins. Both are three points behind the Islanders for MET3 and 1 point behind the Capitals for WC2. Meanwhile said Caps squad is in Buffalo, and the Flyers have a must-win game against the Rangers (who the Bruins could still potentially overtake for the top seed in the East...). Isles draw the cupcake Habs squad for their 79th game.
But also, terrifying if this is how the playoffs are going to be called. A blatant trip was just ignored which lead to a Pittsburg goal to allow them to go up 4-2.
View: https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1778584599003574357?s=46
View: https://twitter.com/penguins/status/1778584599003574357?s=46
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Final turned out to be 6-5 Pens in overtime. Isles held on in OT themselves, the Caps lost in Buffalo, and the Flyers stay alive with a 4-1 win over the Rags. NYI with some breathing room in MET3, Penguins move into WC2 with the Caps, Wings and Flyers* just 1 point behind them.
If the Bs need to tune up for the playoffs the next two games should provide ample opportunities (@PIT, @WSH).
*Flyers only have two games left.
Well knock me over with a feather.
View: https://twitter.com/GoldenKnights/status/1778826375740412288
View: https://twitter.com/GoldenKnights/status/1778826375740412288
Big night for the playoff hunt in the East:
Boston @ Washingon
Montreal @ Detroit
Islanders @ New Jersey
Nashville @ Pittsburgh
The Islanders need 2 points in their final 2 games to clinch the M3 spot.
Washington is holding down WC2 via tiebreaker over Detroit. They can clinch with a win and a Detroit regulation loss and a Pittsburgh regulation loss.
Pittsburgh is 1 point behind the DET/WSH tie but does hold tiebreakers. They need 2 points and help.
Boston @ Washingon
Montreal @ Detroit
Islanders @ New Jersey
Nashville @ Pittsburgh
The Islanders need 2 points in their final 2 games to clinch the M3 spot.
Washington is holding down WC2 via tiebreaker over Detroit. They can clinch with a win and a Detroit regulation loss and a Pittsburgh regulation loss.
Pittsburgh is 1 point behind the DET/WSH tie but does hold tiebreakers. They need 2 points and help.
And if by some Act of God the Sens beat the Rags the #1 seed will be wide open.
BTW why are the Rags getting a break starting tonight until the start of the playoffs?
BTW why are the Rags getting a break starting tonight until the start of the playoffs?
Mentioned in the game thread but Boston clinches the Atlantic with 2 points tonight. If they don't win, Boston has Ottawa and Florida has a Toronto team playing for nothing tomorrow night.
Even more bewildering - the Oilers finish their season playing 3 games in 4 days, with back-to-back games Wed-Thu.
The playoffs start on Saturday.
Will McDavid rest or chase 100 assists and the Hart?
I would think the Oilers wouldn't start until Sunday.
It'd be pretty funny if the Caps and Red Wings lose in regulation and the Pens lose in OT/SO, as there would be four teams tied at 87 points for the final game of the season. (Flyers are already idly sitting at 87 pts and 81 games.)
The early playoff schedule (and the lead up to it) is ridiculous. The Oilers get hooped. There are a few other examples. Leafs play BTB against Fla/TB in Florida Tues/Wed, then presumably again vs Fla on Sat. NHL is chasing that Sat date - but the schedule isn't lined up for the ideal 2 west / 2 east games each night as far as I can tell.
If B's lose tonight, and Rags get at least 1pt, tomorrow will be fascinating. You will effectively have B's, FL, TOR all with little to play for besides the rights to play each other in the playoffs. Would TOR rather face Bs or FL in first round, Would Bs/FL rather face TOR or TB in first round? You could conceivably have all 3 teams rest key players. I'd rather end up 2 seed in Atlantic and face TOR vs. the 1 seed and face TB.
All 8 teams out west are decided but there's still seeding to be determined. Winnipeg and the Avs are locked into a first round matchup. The rest can move around. Dallas will be 1st in the Central and needs 1 point in their final 2 games to clinch the top seed; Vancouver is 1 point away from clinching the Pacific.
The fun is who is going to draw the Death Star Golden Knights. They are currently in WC2, but can move as high as 3rd in the Pacific. Congrats to the Stars and Canucks for winning the division! Here's the fully functional Golden Knights in the first round! Or they could move up and pass LAK and set up a first round series with Edmonton.
The fun is who is going to draw the Death Star Golden Knights. They are currently in WC2, but can move as high as 3rd in the Pacific. Congrats to the Stars and Canucks for winning the division! Here's the fully functional Golden Knights in the first round! Or they could move up and pass LAK and set up a first round series with Edmonton.
And the Red Wings shit the bed, down 4-1 late in the 2nd.
Edit: Well they got one back right away so 4-2. Penguins up 3-1 and Isles up 3-1.
Edit: Well they got one back right away so 4-2. Penguins up 3-1 and Isles up 3-1.
Rags up 4-0 with 7 minutes left. Looks like they win the novelty doorstop this year.
Will be a wild game #82. If I'm looking at this right, Philly is still alive if WSH, PIT and DET lose in regulation and they win in regulation?
Will be a wild game #82. If I'm looking at this right, Philly is still alive if WSH, PIT and DET lose in regulation and they win in regulation?
Think so, they'd be tied with WAS at 89 pts and 31 RWs...not sure the second tiebreaker.
edit: second tiebreak would also be even at 35 ROW
third tiebreak would be even at 39 total wins
They’re still not in. Need points tomorrow against the Habs and need Philly help them against the Caps. Tomorrow’s gonna be nuts.
If Philly beats Washington tomorrow (edit: in regulation) they'd be ahead by virtue of #5 (the two teams are 1-1 against each other from what I see). They'd need the Red Wings and Pens to both lose in regulation.
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The Flyers need to win in regulation, they can't let the Caps get a point. Detroit and Pittsburgh are both still alive if Washington only gets 1 point.
This leaves us to the potential scenario where the Flyers/Caps are tied late in the 3rd and the Flyers have to pull the goalie which potentially also ruins Detroit and Pittsburgh's chances.
This leaves us to the potential scenario where the Flyers/Caps are tied late in the 3rd and the Flyers have to pull the goalie which potentially also ruins Detroit and Pittsburgh's chances.
Caps get a huge break, a Philly shot deflects off Lindgren, refs lose sight of the puck and blow the whistle two seconds before the puck bounces off someone's stick into the net.
Not that it matters, but the first Phi-Was game doesn't apply in the H2H tiebreaker because the teams only play an odd number of games. So they'd have to go the sixth tiebreakeer, which Philly would win anyway.