Done and Done
Buffalo’s 4-1 win in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night provided one more reason for confidence heading into the playoffs, as the Sabres delivered their best overall defensive performance in a month while clamping down on the Penguins’ group of underage stars.
The two points also clinched the Northeast Division and Eastern Conference regular-season championships, of course, but those were little more than formalities. Barring an utter collapse over the last few games, winning both banners was inevitable.
The most significant games when it comes to the only truly important keepsake issued by the National Hockey League took place in Montreal, Toronto, Tampa Bay and Long Island.
The Canadiens beat Boston 2-0 to cling to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Maple Leafs, who edged Philadelphia 3-2 when Bryan McCabe beat Flyers goalie Martin Biron (which still feels weird to type) at 2:18 of overtime.
The Lightning scored twice in the third period to ensure that there will be no rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference finals, snuffing Carolina’s postseason hopes with a 3-2 win.
And to the surprise of no one, Ted Nolan’s first Islanders team stayed alive in unlikely fashion, beating the New York Rangers in a shootout, thanks to a goalie you’ve never heard of unless you know a shameful amount about hockey, Wade Dubielewicz. Like the Hurricanes, the Islanders trail Montreal by four points, but New York has three games remaining in the regular season, while Toronto, Montreal and Carolina each have but two.
The Leafs take on the Islanders on Thursday at Long Island, with the Canadiens also in the New York City area to face the Rangers. The Islanders finish with a pair of road matches, in Philadelphia on Saturday and New Jersey on Sunday.
Depending on the outcome of Thursday’s games, the eighth spot could be decided Saturday night, when Montreal visits Toronto.
The Canadiens at the Leafs in the final game of the regular season, with the last playoff spot at stake – not bad scheduling by the folks at Hockey Night in Canada.
Photo Courtesy of Mark Dellas, Sabres in Traffic
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sbrof
There is something slightly satisfying about Carolina not making the playoffs this year...
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viking
Dave, do you attend free to all these events, and the post parties -----what a job, can I barry you r pen.
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viking
That was carry, my computer is acting sick.
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