carpandean

They mentioned on WGR the other day that Paul Hamilton has told them several times that it is in Nolan's contract that he chooses who plays. Nolan wants the best chance to win. Period. No concern for anything else going on around him. Forget that normal teams play their backups in one game of back-to-backs. :wallbash:

There's a lot on this list to agree with, but not beating 3:1 odds against? If that were actually failing (i.e., something that shouldn't happen), then we wouldn't be worried about 29th, since we'd only have to beat 2:1 odds against landing McEichel.

Hope so, because ... how late are bars open in Buffalo, again? They will be open at the time that the Coyotes-Ducks game ends, right? Could get even uglier than it will be in the arena tomorrow if they don't clinch tonight.

Here's as much "fun" as I can imagine: the Sabres fall behind tonight, but come back late to tie the game and force OT. They, then, quickly lose in OT win in a SO, pulling within one point of even with Arizona. Pittsburgh wins tonight, comes in halfheartedly tomorrow and loses badly to the Sabres. Anaheim plays just hard enough to push it to OT and the game ends up going to a SO. The first two shooters on both sides miss. So, around 1am Sunday morning, half of Buffalo and the surrounding regions and fans across the country are still awake. And then .... Oops, did that wrong. Fixed.

All the quotes that I hear are "we don't want to be remember as the 30th place team" or "we want to play spoiler" ... These are two very likely alternatives for tonight: 1) You go all out, balls to the wall on the road where 95% of the fans watching on TV are rooting for you to lose, you win (or get even get a point), you spoil nobody's playoff chances, but rather two teams' fan appreciation days, you come back to an ugly scene tomorrow, in which even if you are trying to play spoiler, everyone will be cheering against you, and if you manage to win that one (or get a point), you will be remembered and hated forever as the team that blew 30th and 2/3 of a chance at a generational talent for your fanbase. Nobody will respect you any more because you managed to squeak out of the cellar on the very last day of a terrible season, especially when the other team seemingly let you do it. 2) You play hard, but not lights out, lose in regulation to a better team on their home ice and their fan appreciation day, you come back tomorrow to play in the loudest, most supportive arena that you have ever been in, whether or not you a trying to play spoiler (but especially if you are), your fan appreciation day ends with cheers regardless of the outcome, and if this season is remembered at all, it won't be for the embarrassment of finishing last (or, again, no more so than finishing 29th on the last day in one of the worst seasons in recent memory), but rather as a happy time in which our future star (most likely, not guarantees) was acquired. Hmmm ... tough call. How's it look from that moral high ground? Note: just to be clear, I expect them to say what they did regardless of how they feel. They (at least some) may be thinking this way, but certainly wouldn't tell the media that. Actions will speak loudly tonight.

I believe that they said last night that the Pens only need one point. If Boston wins their last game in regulation/OT and the Pens pick up one point, then they will be tied in points and ROW, meaning that head-to-head is the tiebreaker. Haven't looked that up for them, but if what I heard is correct, then it must be the Pens'. Edit: just looked it up on the Penguins' schedule and Boston has that tiebreaker. Whoever said one point on the Canucks feed last night was mistaken. Two it is.

Oh, Anders ...

Don't forget the 33.5% chance at the lottery. :cry:

I agree with Mike Schopp's take: getting any points in this game would be the dumbest thing ever.

I don't know about the rest of the state/country, but the suburban schools around Rochester were very good before Common Core (and still are) and the city schools weren't because too many of the kids weren't there (and still aren't). Truancy seems to be the biggest challenge, especially at the higher levels. It doesn't matter what or how you teach if they aren't there to hear it. That's also a big reason why using student performance as a teaching evaluation isn't fair.

We had an idea thread a while back, in which I suggested making the blue line three or four feet wide. Players would be allowed to cross into the blue line at any time and as soon as the puck crosses the outer (neutral-zone side) edge, they could enter the zone (obviously, if it goes back across the outer edge into the neutral zone, then they would have to tag up.) It should make it easier to stay onsides when the player with the puck has to make an extra move around a defenseman.

Can we make a deal ... for tomorrow ... quid pro quo ...

Maybe we should change it to a Canucks thread. Sort of a reverse-psychology type thing.

Nah, it was only a problem for half the teams. Winners score!

I wouldn't count the Yotes out, but I'm certainly not counting on it. Will watch tonight with hope for, but not expectation of, a win.

Arizona wins count as Buffalo losses. We need one Buffalo regulation loss in our last two or one Arizona win in their last two or any combination of two OT/SO losses by either team in the final four.

Actually, the way that you wrote it, it is correct. The darkest part of night will occur (sometime) before dawn. Now, if you had said, "just before dawn," as it often is said, then that would have been factually incorrect.

I would say, without a doubt, that this won't happen. Certainly not with the whole team. Too many guys who might not be here next year to let that get out. Even if it's just ... I doubt it. I would like it to and would like to believe that it could, but unfortunately, no. Now, should it come down to a shootout on Saturday (or even Friday), I would hope that they would do as Rob Ray said and "shoot it into the boards."

Same. Sad, but true.

Makarov sent down. Hackett against the Blue Jackets?

Vancouver clinched a playoff spot last night and aren't catching Anaheim. I believe that means that they will play Calgary either way, so they are only playing for home ice. Anaheim has their division locked up, can't catch the Rangers for the PT and might lock up second in the league tonight against Dallas. Columbus is playing lights out and Friday will be the home finale (fan appreciation night.) Pittsburgh will likely still have a lot to play for Saturday. I'll never feel confident until it's done, but after watching the 'Yotes last night and seeing how the above scenarios have worked out, I'm feeling a little better. Still want this done before Saturday for both the fans and the players. I really hope that if tomorrow night doesn't work out, Ted either reconsiders starting Lindback Friday on his own or with a little push from above.

46 hour break, then four shots in about 51 hours (start of first to end of last.)

There was a long pass to one 'Yotes player, who had a point blank chance with just a few minutes left, and it looked so much like it went in (optical illusions). I started to jump up, but saw it continue behind the net. Would have been nice.

Ah, well. At least we know that the Coyotes haven't quit either. Damn, night off for everyone tomorrow.

Uh ... yup.