Devils chances at playoffs - The Final Push - Points and Standings Discussion

[Emperoreddy]

Pittsburgh is due for a win. Lost three in a row. Think they are playing Columbus tomorrow.

Ya. Pitt has Columbus. Flyers have the Leafs.

 

[glenwo2]

Ya. Pitt has Columbus. Flyers have the Leafs.

We could get another major assist tomorrow by both Pennsylvania teams.

 

[Emperoreddy]

We could get another major assist tomorrow by both Pennsylvania teams.

Would take the sting out of the lost point tonight big time. Would leave us at 4 points out with equal games played with the jackets and two in hand (and the tiebreaker) on the Leafs.

 

[DenisSamson3]

More and more people on the main boards are thinking we can make it as time goes on Insanity? Other wild card teams are losing. I don't know what to expect the total points to make the play offs this year.

 

[NJDevs26]

Probably what we need to happen to make the playoffs would happen...if we could just make a big push. I just don't know where this big push is going to come from when we can't even string together three wins in a row and can't win a shootout. And I don't mean 9-0 big push - it's looking more likely 8-1 could make it, or bare minimum 7-2 even. But I just don't see the big streak happening, I don't care if we're playing AHL teams the last nine games.

 

[goawaygary*]

Really tough to say now how many points will make the playoffs. The Jackets and Wings (who have finally come back to earth) have sort of stagnated at 80 points. The Leafs are at 80 and completely plummeted out of the playoffs.

Both have difficult games tomorrow. Philly for Toronto. Pitt for Columbus. I could easily see both losing in regulation.

If that happens you can probably lower the red line as to how many points you must get to make the playoffs to like 90 or even 89. Washington also has Boston on Saturday afternoon...tough tough game

 

[glenwo2]

The only way the Devils make the playoffs is if the "red line" drops to 85 or less points.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Probably what we need to happen to make the playoffs would happen...if we could just make a big push. I just don't know where this big push is going to come from when we can't even string together three wins in a row and can't win a shootout. And I don't mean 9-0 big push - it's looking more likely 8-1 could make it, or bare minimum 7-2 even. But I just don't see the big streak happening, I don't care if we're playing AHL teams the last nine games.

Kind of where I have been sitting for a few weeks now. It was never as much about the out of town help. What we need to happen has happened and continues to happen. Enough teams are stagnant or losing to give us an opening.

Team just needs to actually make the push and take it. They haven't done it and I don't know if they will but since I'm a fan of this team I don't have much of a choice but to hope they can pull it together before time runs out.

Also if they don't make it they have no one to blame but themselves. Can't blame the out of town scoreboard or anything. The opportunities have been there to take a spot.

 

[Bcap88]

Kind of where I have been sitting for a few weeks now. It was never as much about the out of town help. What we need to happen has happened and continues to happen. Enough teams are stagnant or losing to give us an opening.

Team just needs to actually make the push and take it. They haven't done it and I don't know if they will but since I'm a fan of this team I don't have much of a choice but to hope they can pull it together before time runs out.

Also if they don't make it they have no one to blame but themselves. Can't blame the out of town scoreboard or anything. The opportunities have been there to take a spot.

I am with you on this. it's nice when the teams we are chasing lose but if we arent taking care of business then it doesnt matter. Realistically we need to rip off two four game winning streaks. That would put us at 8-1

 

[Bleedred]

Have to start showing up in the 1st period. Almost every 1st period in the last 2 weeks has been awful. Toronto and Minnesota being the exceptions, and they're the only games we've won.

 

[MadDevil]

If we win 4 of the 9 shootouts we're in this year, we're currently in the final wild card spot. We could have a losing record in shootouts and still be in the playoffs...

 

[Ben Matlock]

The SO-loss hurts, but at the same time I'm glad we got one point against a good team that's also fighting for a spot in the playoffs. We can still afford one regulation loss, but we have to beat the Caps. Hopefully Boston will go easy on us in the final game.

 

[ghoti]

I figured they needed 16 points in the last 10 games to have a realistic shot. They got 1. 15 more to go and 9 games left.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

How are we looking tiebreakerwise?

 

[Bcap88]

How are we looking tiebreakerwise?

Really good, would hold tiebreak over everyone but Columbus right now. Only 1 game back from Columbus tiebreaker wise

 

[Richer's Ghost]

stop fooling yourselves... really.

It will come down to we come up 3 pts short and if we had just been .500 on shootouts made it in easy.

The fault will shift quickly to the goalies when in fact it should be on the forwards for not scoring a single freaking goal in the shootout except for the rookie Boucher in his first NHL game.

 

[DenisSamson3]

They absolutely have to win the next three games. Maybe can afford a SO loss against one of them. The games are Islanders, Panthers and Sabres. But then the next game is Washington. If they can make it that far, thats a four point game, with the tiebreaker to this teams advantage. They truly need that three game win streak. We have been saying it forever on these forums. Just that I think teams like the Islanders and Panthers love playing spoilers. The Islanders took Tampa to a shoot out yesterday. Luckily from Tampas point of view they won that game.

 

[ThePSEGPowerPoster]

If anyone is interested we are now at an 18% chance to make it into the playoffs.

If we end up at 90 points here are the odds:

1. NJ goes 7-2-0 (54.6%)
2. NJ goes 6-1-2 (51.4%)
3. NJ goes 5-0-4 (48.1%)

I still don't think we're getting in at all but I'm hoping this team surprises us. I honestly do think we can go 5-0-4. I can see a nice: W-W-OTL-W-W-OTL-W-OTL-OTL stretch of hockey.

 

[Moe Syzlak]

I suppose it's only fitting that the Devils playoff hopes are done in by their pathetic shootout performance. If they had won half of those games they'd be in a playoff spot right now in spite of being unable to win more than two games in a row.

 

[Devs4L]

They absolutely have to win the next three games. Maybe can afford a SO loss against one of them. The games are Islanders, Panthers and Sabres. But then the next game is Washington. If they can make it that far, thats a four point game, with the tiebreaker to this teams advantage. They truly need that three game win streak. We have been saying it forever on these forums. Just that I think teams like the Islanders and Panthers love playing spoilers. The Islanders took Tampa to a shoot out yesterday. Luckily from Tampas point of view they won that game.

Definitely. We need the next 4 games. The next 3 are all winnable. Can't screw it up. Need the next 6 points. Then if we can beat Washington, you have to think we'll be closer at that point than we currently are.

If we can enter the final 5 being 2 points out, I'll like our chances.

 

[Devs4L]

I suppose it's only fitting that the Devils playoff hopes are done in by their pathetic shootout performance. If they had won half of those games they'd be in a playoff spot right now in spite of being unable to win more than two games in a row.

It's really gotten to the point of being heartbreaking.

Not asking for the impossible or the unlikely. Just 3-4 wins out of 9 would have put us in a much better spot. 0-9, 1 shootout goal all year. It's almost unfathomable.

 

[Emperoreddy]

N

Definitely. We need the next 4 games. The next 3 are all winnable. Can't screw it up. Need the next 6 points. Then if we can beat Washington, you have to think we'll be closer at that point than we currently are.

If we can enter the final 5 being 2 points out, I'll like our chances.

They win the next 4 they could be in a spot with some help. All winnable games. Time is now to roll off some wins.

 

[DenisSamson3]

^^^^^^^

I feel like you have been saying this since the Olympic break.

 

[Devs4L]

They win the next 4 they could be in a spot with some help. All winnable games. Time is now to roll off some wins.

No question. I just think worst case scenario if we role off 4 in a row that we shouldn't be more than 2 points out at that point.

Very real possibility that if we win our next 4 that we could be in control of a playoff spot though. Need these next 4. Playing the 3 worst teams (as far as points) in the conference, and then 1 team we're chasing. Couldn't ask for a better 4 game stretch given where we are. Have to execute now. Schedule will mean nothing if we don't come to play.

 

[NJDevs26]

I suppose it's only fitting that the Devils playoff hopes are done in by their pathetic shootout performance. If they had won half of those games they'd be in a playoff spot right now in spite of being unable to win more than two games in a row.

I honestly wonder how this season would have gone vis-a-vis the shootout if we just scored one lousy goal in that first shootout of the season when Marty stopped five or six in a row during the home opener. That one shootout epic fail set an awful tone.