2013-14 NHL Season: "We Are North American Scum"

[Kramerica Industries]

^ not convinced.

Oh, and the Colorado Avalanche are now in 1st place in the Central Division. Better yet, that "big ultra important" game on Sunday night? At this rate, it won't be that dreck-induced game between Dallas and Phoenix, it could between Colorado and Anaheim. Both teams play once more before Sunday night, but as things stand right now, that's 111 points vs. 112 points and #1 in the West overall at stake. Of course, Colorado has to negotiate the Shark Tank before that game and Anaheim has to beat the Kings the night before that game as well.

Wow.

[Kevin W.]

crlache was certainly being obtuse when he singled out (quadrupled out?) those four teams.

You'll have to excuse me - I'm out of it tonight, as I have a massive headache.

[Still MIGHTY]

^ not convinced.

Oh, and the Colorado Avalanche are now in 1st place in the Central Division. Better yet, that "big ultra important" game on Sunday night? At this rate, it won't be that dreck-induced game between Dallas and Phoenix, it could between Colorado and Anaheim. Both teams play once more before Sunday night, but as things stand right now, that's 111 points vs. 112 points and #1 in the West overall at stake. Of course, Colorado has to negotiate the Shark Tank before that game and Anaheim has to beat the Kings the night before that game as well.

Wow.

And Teemu's regular season finale.

Could be quite the night.

(Honestly, for the record, I'd rather take the #2 seed and play Minnesota than Dallas. No disrespect to the Wild, just that the Stars and that building have a weird mojo over the Ducks. Always have.)

[ninersdd]

It's weird that this years Ducks will be the best ever in their history. The 2007 edition would pound them IMO.

[Kramerica Industries]

I would just really prefer Dallas win tomorrow night because, even though the Sharks will likely beat the 'Yotes on Saturday night regardless of what happens, I'd prefer that game just mean nothing before it even starts. Phoenix now has 44 losses, just get the "e" next to your name already. I (we) would rather see Seguin and Benn in the playoffs anyway instead of Shane Doan. I think one of the areas I am proudest of when it comes to CCSLC is how hockey fans here have long proven what a fraud Shane Doan is. Too much of the hockey world is still uninitiated on this matter.

[ninersdd]

Not exactly a sure thing for the Sharks the next 2 games, since remember they're locked in to their positioning now. Then again, remember in 2011 how the Wings won in Chicago the last day of the year, despite being locked into the 3rd seed, and thus the Hawks had to rely on a Dallas loss later to get in.

[Still MIGHTY]

It's weird that this years Ducks will be the best ever in their history. The 2007 edition would pound them IMO.

I'd agree with that. I'd say the 2007 team was one of those "built for the playoffs" type teams. Solid goaltending, shut down defense, grind it out offensively, a lot of 3-2 games. That doesn't always translate over the stretch of a full 82-game season. Whereas the 2014 version is exactly the Bruce Boudreau type team. Always pushing the pace and you can gun it out to a 20-0-2 home start and be #1 in the league for a few months. It'll be interesting to see how this team performs in the playoffs when things slow down and it's a battle every night. I'd say this team is a little better defensively than last year and a much better grind-it-out physical possession team than anything Boudreau had in Washington.

[Walter Sobchak]

Red Wings' playoff streak infographic:

Well, that last part isn't technically correct...

Yeah, they forgot about Ottawa.

[Funky Bunky]

It's weird that this years Ducks will be the best ever in their history. The 2007 edition would pound them IMO.

That '07 team would've had a better record if Giguere and Pronger played the whole year. Giguere missed over a month, and Bryz struggled a bit during that stretch.

[TorinK92]

Red Wings' playoff streak infographic:

Well, that last part isn't technically correct...

Yeah, they forgot about Ottawa.

Used to it.

[Kramerica Industries]

Not exactly a sure thing for the Sharks the next 2 games, since remember they're locked in to their positioning now. Then again, remember in 2011 how the Wings won in Chicago the last day of the year, despite being locked into the 3rd seed, and thus the Hawks had to rely on a Dallas loss later to get in.

2011 was weird for this stuff, man. Detroit, who had been dominated all season by Chicago, won 4-3 in Chicago to put the 'Hawks on the outside, only for the already-eliminated Wild to beat the Stars. Don't forget that just the day before that, the Rangers beat the Devils and then needed the Lightning, who were in the same situation as the Wings more-or-less (locked into #5 and zero on the line), to beat the 'Canes in Raleigh in order to get into the playoffs.

Tampa beat Carolina 6-2 in what, to this day, remains one of my all-time favorite hockey games. Knocking a division rival out of the playoffs when they were at home and had EVERYTHING to play for? Felt great.

[Sport]

^ that was a wild weekend to end the season. Three teams needed to beat teams that had nothing to play for and they all lost. Carolina hasn't gotten that close since. Dallas started fast that year and then couldn't sustain it with their weak defense.

It's weird that this season 15 of the 16 spots are locked up going into the final weekend.

[Sport]

I didn't see a Frozen Four thread so I guess I'll post it here.

Union-Minnesota for the national championship.

I tuned into Minnesota-North Dakota with ten minutes left, saw two goals within thirty seconds of each other. Tied 1-1 with North Dakota on the power play and a faceoff in the Minnesota zone with about ten seconds left. Minnesota wins the draw, gets a 3 on 3 towards the Sioux net and a senior who hadn't scored all year wins the game for Minnesota, shorthanded, with .6 seconds left. Crazy.

[JackieMoon]

I think Dallas has it wrapped up. Going to be hard for Phoenix to get in.

[The_Admiral]

Dallas has pissed themselves at least three years running. I know ol' Tinker Galoot is the only major player of theirs to carry over between last year and prior years, but I'm still distrustful. I will admit, though, that the math doesn't favor the Coyotes, who have a tough game with The NHL's Best Fans' Team and then the Stars themselves, who have scored more and allowed fewer on the year.

Reports that Jamie Benn responded to the question "what's your impression of the locker room right now?" with "DUUUUUHHHHHHHH I'M A LOCKER ROOM" are, as of now, unfounded.

[Funky Bunky]

That's what North Dakota deserves for ditching the awesome Fighting Sioux moniker!

[Alex Houston]

Thank God Hertl might be back. If he's close to where he was when he left, I like the Sharks chances substantially more, even though I believe we're going to see Hawks-Bruins Part Deux unfortunately.

[-kj]

That's what North Dakota deserves for ditching the awesome Fighting Sioux moniker!

[STL FANATIC]

The Blues, already playing horrible, horrible hockey, will now be without Tarasenko, Backes, Oshie, Morrow, Roy, Sobotka, and maybe an unnamed defenseman, because this franchise has had so many lucky breaks in its history that it was due for something to go wrong.

[gosioux76]

That's what North Dakota deserves for ditching the awesome Fighting Sioux moniker!

Had North Dakota not ditched the Fighting Sioux moniker, it's likely the NCAA would have prohibited them from even being in the tournament.