Eastern Conference Wild Card Race is Embarrassing

[isles55]

I don't get the lack of head-to-head matchups down the stretch this year - Pens playing Chicago on Game 81 etc.

Islanders and Penguins played three times since Feb. 17th(Islanders won all three).

 

[Emperoreddy]

I don't get the lack of head-to-head matchups down the stretch this year - Pens playing Chicago on Game 81 etc.

Teams really shouldn't be playing out of conference the last couple of weeks.

 

[5 Hole]

As a Panthers fan I absolutely loved watching the Pens eat shit against Chicago. Just saying.

 

[Astyanax]

Yeah, I get it. Still doesn't outshine the fact that back in ’82, Uncle Rico used to be able to throw a pig skin a quarter mile.

Man I wish he had a time machine. He coulda won State. If the Coach has put him in in the 4th quarter, that is.

If I remember correctly he believed he could throw it other those mountains.

 

[Astyanax]

Still the best show lol

MVP

 

[banks]

Feels absolutely bonkers to me that PIT and WSH are both missing the playoffs. I don't like it.

 

[SatanicToedrag]

Feels absolutely bonkers to me that PIT and WSH are both missing the playoffs. I don't like it.

..because you LOVE it?

 

[snag]

..because you LOVE it?

 

[Reddwit]

Wouldn’t it make sense that the wildcard teams in the East are struggling cause they play in the conference with better top-end teams? Like how do you think the top teams got to be top teams? By beating up on the rest of the conference.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I'm glad we got the annual "these playoffs are the most boring/embarrassing evah!" thread in before the playoffs actually started. Good job guys. Overachievers this year.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

Looking at the 'battle' for the Wild Card spots this year in the East has been like watching a bunch of uncoordinated drunks stumbling around trying to win at musical chairs. It seems like no team aside from maybe the Islanders can just get the job done down the stretch and pull away, continuously embarrassing themselves over and over again.

NYI is pacing for 93 pts, while Pittsburgh is pacing for 92 pts, which is the lowest total of an Eastern 8th place playoff team in the 'Wild Card' era and lowest since 2012 when the Sens made it with 92 (not including lockout/covid seasons). On average, the last Wild Card team has had around 95-97 pts most years, in fact last season Washington had a whopping 100 pts in that spot.

When you look at the other teams in the 'race', they have also been pathetic in crunch time. At one point it looked like the Islanders were in serious danger of falling out, with Barzal getting hurt bad (he's still not skating), and teams like Ottawa, Washington, Florida, Buffalo and Detroit all having 5-6 games in hand and being only a couple of points behind. Despite this, they've all stumbled hilariously while NYI has managed to go on a bit of a run and stay ahead of the pack (7-3-1 in March). Florida actually made it into a playoff spot, only to follow it up with a 4 game losing streak (all regulation too). Ottawa was within striking distance, then Dorion thought he had big dick energy and got Chychrun and they've pretty much sucked since. Buffalo looked like they were finally gonna break the drought but goaltending and D let them down spectacularly while they also faced some bad injuries. Detroit was overperforming their underlying numbers and eventually resigned to the fact that this is another failed season and they may as well tank the rest of the way. Washington is old and injured.

Records in March
Pittsburgh: 6-6-1
Florida: 6-5-1
Washington: 5-5-2
Ottawa: 6-7-1
Buffalo: 4-7-3
Detroit: 3-8-1

Not a single winning record and a combined record of 30-38-9 for all these teams fighting for that last spot Can any of the other drunks supplant Pittsburgh or will Pittsburgh be the one that successfully falls backwards into the playoffs?

50% of teams making the playoffs. Is 6-5-1 records from what should be middle of pack team really that surprising. If the teams had winning records, they'd be better than 8th plaxe out of 16 teams.

 

[MOGlLNY]

If the Sabres win tonight they will finish 2 points behind the Islanders who beat them in regulation off this goal

 

[drktmplr12]

If the Sabres win tonight they will finish 2 points behind the Islanders who beat them in regulation off this goal

now do all of the other instances where a team lost a game because of one or two mistakes

 

[MOGlLNY]

now do all of the other instances where a team lost a game because of one or two mistakes

no

 

[drktmplr12]

no

any team that missed by 1 point can look at a multitude of different circumstances throughout 82 games where they just didn't make it happen. you are framing is as though "this is the reason" when it's more like "this is one of many reasons"

example:

 

[MOGlLNY]

any team that missed by 1 point can look at a multitude of different circumstances throughout 82 games where they just didn't make it happen. you are framing is as though "this is the reason" when it's more like "this is one of many reasons"

sure but that doesn't bolster my point, so im choosing ignoring this post. please delete. thank you

 

[Jester9881]

Sabres fans who are still upset over that goal can join hands with "Trocheck was tripped" Panther fans and Penguin fans who still blame Jarry for losing in the playoffs against the Islanders. They can console each other and have a good cry about it.

 

[MikeyMike01]

I don't get the lack of head-to-head matchups down the stretch this year - Pens playing Chicago on Game 81 etc.

If they’re going to have a division-heavy playoffs, they really should have a division-heavy schedule. Mind-boggling that they don’t.

If the Sabres win tonight they will finish 2 points behind the Islanders who beat them in regulation off this goal

As it’s been explained repeatedly, that goal is 100% legal per the rule book.

 

[miscs75]

now do all of the other instances where a team lost a game because of one or two mistakes

The Islanders lost ___ games because the power play forgot how to play hockey.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Sabres fans who are still upset over that goal can join hands with "Trocheck was tripped" Panther fans and Penguin fans who still blame Jarry for losing in the playoffs against the Islanders. They can console each other and have a good cry about it.

We will thanks

 

[miscs75]

Sabres fans who are still upset over that goal can join hands with "Trocheck was tripped" Panther fans and Penguin fans who still blame Jarry for losing in the playoffs against the Islanders. They can console each other and have a good cry about it.

Add in “Nystrom was offsides” people to that list too.

 

[BrockLobster]

now do all of the other instances where a team lost a game because of one or two mistakes

Well it was the right call so...

 

[MOGlLNY]

Islanders fans pee pee poo pooing over a bitter Sabres fan joking around. Lighten up ur in the playoffs

 

[miscs75]

Islanders fans pee pee poo pooing over a bitter Sabres fan joking around. Lighten up ur in the playoffs

Only if you guys bring back all the bars they closed on Main st by UB South Campus.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Only if you guys bring back all the bars they closed on Main st by UB South Campus.

Steer is the only bar needed brother