Eastern Conference Wild Card Race is Embarrassing

[boredmale]

What should be embarrassing is that the Islanders who are at the forefront of that wild card race quite readily dominated both of the second place division leaders in the Eastern Conference (Maple Leafs, Devils) just last week outscoring them 12- 3 and they did that without their top offensive threat. THAT should be embarrassing and demonstrates how misleading a team's position is in the standings can be. So they won more games. Against whom? Under what conditions or constraints? The Islanders are an experienced and proven playoff team. Are these two? How these teams faired against one another this late in the season is a better indicator of how they matchup against each other in the playoffs as they have their game plans set and all the kinks worked out.

I would just chalk it up to it's much easier to motivate yourself when you have something to fight for. In the case of the Leafs and to a lesser extent the Devils, they basically looks like they both will finish 2nd unless they go on an amazing run or the team above them completely collapses

The other teams to look out for is one filled with young AHL callups who have something to prove. The combination of 0 pressure and alot of energy can be tough. Just look at the sabres, they sort of caught up a month or so ago to be int he heat of the wild card race, then all of a sudden then lose a bunch of games, now that their is less pressure they are back to their winning ways. Sure sign of a young inexperienced team

 

[Legend123]

Too many villages were burnt

Not enough remained to propel them to wins

 

[Rehabguy]

I would just chalk it up to it's much easier to motivate yourself when you have something to fight for. In the case of the Leafs and to a lesser extent the Devils, they basically looks like they both will finish 2nd unless they go on an amazing run or the team above them completely collapses

The other teams to look out for is one filled with young AHL callups who have something to prove. The combination of 0 pressure and alot of energy can be tough. Just look at the sabres, they sort of caught up a month or so ago to be int he heat of the wild card race, then all of a sudden then lose a bunch of games, now that their is less pressure they are back to their winning ways. Sure sign of a young inexperienced team

Well you bring up a point that I was going to make as well. The only teams taking it easy right now appear to be the teams that are out of it which is why they are making life hell and a mess for many of the wild card teams including our Isles. We lost to the Blue Jackets and Sabres. They are playing pond hockey and having a blast. It's easy to win when you have nothing to lose.

From what I saw, those teams (Devils/Leafs) were hardly taking it easy against the Isles. They looked like they were playing an important game. Neither team wanted to lose. Teams in the playoff hunt are under a lot of pressure. I would argue that teams shouldn't take anything for granted given how close things are.

Also I can't imagine there is any team out there in the playoff picture who would give a potential playoff opponent team the psychological advantage of being dominated right before the playoffs- especially in the Devils case when you have only beat that team 1 time in 6 tries. At that point in time both teams could have played a big part in eliminating a real threat the Islanders represent just being in the playoffs. They could have eliminated the Isles. That should have been motivation enough. Why face a team like the Isles in the playoffs in a 7 game elimination series when you could have potentially eliminated them in 1 game.

 

[snag]

Don’t let this thread be a distraction to the fact that Al Bundy once scored 4 touchdowns in a single game for Polk High School Panthers in 1966 versus Andrew Johnson High School, including the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds against his old nemesis, “Spare Tire” Dixon Bubba Smith.

Still the best show lol

 

[Dust]

Both wild card races are pretty uninteresting at the moment. Teams that should be desperate for their playoff lives losing to tanking teams. Nobody seems to want either WC spots.

 

[Yatzhee]

So, let me see if I got this right....

You hate the fact there is still competitive hockey towards April. And what you want, Nay, demand, is far more important than the sport itself.

That about sum it up? I think it does

 

[Guttersniped]

I think the Jets vs. NYI is such an instructive comparison. Same number of points, identical points %. Both have excellent goalies. One would think, going by the names & talent, that Winnipeg should easily outstrip the Islanders. But collectively, to use the phrase, they could use a check of from the the neck up. You could see it on their body language on the ice in their game on the Island. You could say much the same about Calgary, St. Louis, and Vancouver.

In the east there are a few key differences vs. last year. Among the contenders/bubble teams, the biggest differences have been Washington's slippage (Backstrom's importance obviously can't be overstated), and the improvement of Buffalo/Ottawa.

There's one reason why NYI are ahead of Pittsburgh and Florida, and all three fanbases understand that it's all about goaltending. Being at a disadvantage in goal consistently wears teams down. It is the opposite to consistently have an advantage.

One thing that's interesting to me is NYI's 33 regulation wins is barely fewer than any of the teams higher than them in the metropolitan. (Carolina has 35, Devs & Rangers have 34). In the playoffs 3 v 3 & shootout proficiency have no bearing on outcomes.

Well one starter is in the Vezina race and the other is suddenly struggling, so there’s that.

Spoiler: And the Jets have the worst SH% in March

Shaky goaltending and terrible finishing make it hard to win (just ask the Penguins).

 

[saintunspecified]

Well one starter is in the Vezina race and the other is suddenly struggling, so there’s that.

What I've seen goes WAY beyond the goaltending. I mean, the teams been called out by the coach, so obviously someone agrees with what I observed.

 

[BallardEra]

Pens lose again and the Isles getting drubbed. Florida up 4-0.

 

[Killing Joke]

I would just chalk it up to it's much easier to motivate yourself when you have something to fight for. In the case of the Leafs and to a lesser extent the Devils, they basically looks like they both will finish 2nd unless they go on an amazing run or the team above them completely collapses

The other teams to look out for is one filled with young AHL callups who have something to prove. The combination of 0 pressure and alot of energy can be tough. Just look at the sabres, they sort of caught up a month or so ago to be int he heat of the wild card race, then all of a sudden then lose a bunch of games, now that their is less pressure they are back to their winning ways. Sure sign of a young inexperienced team

The devils dominated play in the islanders game lol. That person is just scoreboard watching.

 

[threeVo]

Sabres get Sammy back and are good again

 

[quietbruinfan]

The teams are inconsistent and flawed, but FLA, Pitt, Buff all have good talent, better than most eighth place teams.

 

[hacksaw7]

Ah these young hockey fans

No...THIS is embarrassing

 

[Daz28]

Not as embarrassing as last year's West wild card race, ainec.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Really, Bergeron??? Not a Bruins fan at all, but Bergeron gets a ton of respect. Now, I could see if you said Krejci and Marchand.

Krejci is fine. Marchand is really the only person you can hate on the Bruins

 

[dortt]

Ah these young hockey fans

No...THIS is embarrassing

View attachment 680227

Back in the days when the regular season was a glorified pre season

 

[scoopscj]

It's like the teams are looking at facing Boston in round one and are like, "You go.. .no you go... after you!... No you!"

 

[TorMapleJays]

It's like the teams are looking at facing Boston in round one and are like, "You go.. .no you go... after you!... No you!"

Here is a preview of Buffalo vs Boston.

 

[BMOK33]

FLA on cue probably will go into another funk, this has been their MO all year and their remaining games they do not have any real joke opponents as their last 3. I could see just about anything from them because they have been wildly streaky all season. I think NYI pit go 2-3 or 3-2. NYI is likely in unless they only get 1 or 0 wins, PIT these next 4 games are huge because their last 2 should be wins or at least 3 points. If they go 2-2 the next 4 you'd think they are in. BUF to me is just in need of a full blown collapse ahead of them

 

[stewy04]

Bruins should just get a bye to the second round

I hope this ages well!

 

[GreeningOil]

"Not a single winning record" from teams who are in the middle of the pack competing for a spot on the middle of the pack, if they had winning records they'd be higher genius.

He posted that about their most recent 10 game stretch. It’s actually quite impressive that they’re all 0.500 or worse.

I mean at least one of those teams should have a winning record over that span!

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I think fans of the west are just looking for ways to trash the east after being called a shitty conference all year.

 

[Mr Positive]

It feels like it embodies a "wild card" team for them to be a bit flakey like that. The idea is that on paper they aren't scary at all but in playoffs anything can happen.

They are in their low positions because they are under performing, which implies that we can imagine a "good" version of them.

 

[Extra Texture]

Its worse than the March record makes it sound: Pens are 3-7-0 in their last 10. They continually fall behind early, blow late leads, can’t score, cant defend, their goalie tandem can’t make a big save. If anyone is going to miss, they’re going to miss. Had a terrible deadline, have a terrible coach, and absolutely everything is trending in the wrong direction for them.

The Isles have been pretty crappy this year, by their recent standards, but they have the nerves of a fighter test pilot compared to the fragile mentality of the Pens.

And they’re fighting for the right to get rag dolled by Boston in the first round. At least a Florida team, coming in somewhat hot, has a chance to win some games in that series.

 

[BallardEra]

Pens down 4-0 and Sabres tied with Panthers.