CBC-Sports

It should be an interesting dozen days

March 31, 2009 03:27 PM | Posted by   Scott Morrison  

Complain as we often do about the parity in the NHL often feeling more like mediocrity, there is no denying that the past few weeks have produced some tremendous, intense hockey and, undoubtedly, the next fortnight will have more of the same.

While several teams obviously have either locked up playoff spots, or have all but guaranteed them, virtually every team in both conferences is still playing meaningful games because of seeding positions.

And, of course, the seventh and eighth spots on both sides are wide open. You could even make a case of six, seven and eight being open in the West.

And that's a great thing. Most nights, there is a playoff feel to the games. Playoff intensity, if you will.

Scheduling a factor in East race

In the East, the New York Rangers helped themselves in a significant way with their 3-0 win over the suddenly slumping New Jersey Devils on Monday night. That opened a four-point gap over the ninth-place Florida Panthers, who are just a point behind Montreal.

The Rangers have a very tough schedule to finish the season, with road games at Carolina, Boston and Philadelphia and home dates with Montreal and Philadelphia.

Montreal, which has two games in hand on New York, is home to Chicago on Tuesday night, then play four of their final six on the road - at the Islanders, Leafs, Rangers and Boston, with home games against Ottawa and Pittsburgh.

Florida, meantime, is home to Ottawa on Tuesday, then play three of their final five at home against Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Washington, with road games in Philly and Atlanta.

The Rangers have the fewest games, so that makes their schedule the most difficult simply because the margin for error is less until Montreal and Florida burn off and potentially lose a couple of games.

But the Rangers’ schedule is definitely the toughest compared to Montreal and Florida. All told, Montreal may have the best schedule, though they do have a losing road record.

Had the Rangers lost to the Devils, you easily could have made a case for them being the odd team out. If the Panthers lose to Ottawa, the Rangers should be safe, but if the Panthers win, look out.

The always wild West

Out West, Columbus looked home and cooled until they got derailed twice by the red-hot St. Louis Blues on the weekend. They have a really tough schedule to finish, starting Tuesday with Nashville, who they play again on Saturday in Tennessee. Then they have Chicago twice, the Blues again and Minnesota. So they certainly have control of their fate and a four-point buffer with six games to go.

Nashville, which is winning despite a spate of injuries, plays Chicago twice, Detroit and Minnesota, in addition to the two Columbus games. So they can dictate their fate as well.

St. Louis has arguably the toughest schedule because they play five of their final six on the road, where they have a losing record, against Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and Colorado with Columbus at home.

Of course, you can argue the Blues’ schedule looks a whole lot more manageable because of dates with Dallas, Phoenix and Colorado.

Anaheim, which has gotten better at the right time of the season, is in Edmonton on Tuesday night, then Vancouver and San Jose, before returning home to play the Sharks and Dallas and finishing on the road in Phoenix.

Battle of Alberta brewing?

The wildly inconsistent Oilers, sitting two back heading into Tuesday's meeting with the Ducks, play five of their final six at home against Vancouver, Los Angeles and Calgary, before finishing up in Calgary. That Battle of Alberta could be very intense.

Finally, Minnesota, which has difference maker Marian Gaborik back, is in Vancouver Tuesday, then Calgary before returning home for a pair with Dallas and Nashville. They wrap up in Columbus.

On paper, St. Louis and Anaheim have the best schedules in terms of playing bottom feeders, though those games are not necessarily locks.

Columbus and Nashville mostly play teams hunting for those final playoff spots, including each other, so they have control of their destinies. Minnesota is pretty much the same, while Edmonton has a very tough schedule, but at least they are at home. Then again, they haven't exactly been dominant at Rexall Place. Add in the overtime and shootout losses and they have a losing record.

If St. Louis and Anaheim stay hot, both should get in and if Columbus doesn't collapse, the little buffer they have could make the difference.

Like we said, should make for an interesting final dozen days.

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