final playoff push

The NHL playoffs are right around the corner, and there are currently plenty of close races that are certain to end in a photo finish.

With their loss last night, the Calgary Flames all but ended their playoff hopes.  All the teams ahead of them have games in hand, and the Flames have the fewest regulation wins amongst them which is the first tiebreaker.  The team has cooled off after a post-christmas surge, and it seems they dug too big of a hole for themselves at the start of the season.

4 thru 9 in the Western Conference looks like this: Phoenix, Chicago, LA, Nashville, Anahiem, Dallas.  Any of these teams could swap places over the next couple of weeks, and teams like Vancouver, Detroit and SJ will likely have to wait until the last day of the season until they know their first round matchup.

In the East, the Capitals have been absolutely on fire of late and find themselves only 1 point behind the Flyers for the conference lead.  If they can get the goaltending, this team will be very tough to beat in the playoffs.

Big game tonight in Boston as with a win the Habs can move within one point of the division lead.  This is the final meeting between the two teams and Boston has only beat Montreal once this season.  Don't expect any retribution for the Chara hit, as that is not Montreal's game.  The Habs have dominated the Bruins this season with their speed and skill, and Boston will have to come up with a better game plan other than trying to physically run their opponents out of the building.

Without their two superstars, the Penguins have kept themselves in the thick of things in the Eastern conference and are still within striking distance of the Flyers for their division title.  With Crosby back on skates and Fleury at the top of his game, no one wants to face this team in the playoffs either.

This is the best time of the year to be a hockey fan.  With so much more on the line, games are much more intense and the quality of hockey is rapidly increasing.  Teams are now resting banged up players in hopes they will be fresh for a long playoff run.  So grab some beers, sit back, and enjoy.