Rabbit151 Posted March 15, 2006 Report Posted March 15, 2006 The NHL has this wonderful idea where rivalries are the priority. So, you play the team in your own division, what, 8 or 9 times? that's great, now look at Carolina's april schedule. they play back to back to back against the Caps, and that is sandwiched in between a couple of games against Atlanta. Ooooooo. Home-ice advantage: Carolina. Look at how great Detroit is doing, then look at their division. St.Louis, Columbus, Chicago - give me a break!!
gregkash Posted March 15, 2006 Report Posted March 15, 2006 dont count them as walkovers, the caps play hard, so do the thrashers, and the thrashers are battling for the 8th seed. So, they're gonna be hungry.
sabregoats Posted March 15, 2006 Report Posted March 15, 2006 Just look how hard it was for the sabres to beat the caps last night. Even though we out played them most of the game we barely came out with a win
Rabbit151 Posted March 15, 2006 Author Report Posted March 15, 2006 Ahh, you guys are ever the optimists. Good for you. Personally, I don't care if they don't get 1st. We all know they are as good as any team in the league, but with such a young team, the less pressure the better, and starting on the road is less pressure.
Peace Frog Posted March 15, 2006 Report Posted March 15, 2006 Call me crazy, call me insane, call me a goat-groper, but I think the Sabres should just run the table on the last 18 games. :o Realistically, if we win all of the games we're supposed to win and half of the ones that we're not, then by my calculations, we should win the following games: Mar 16 vs Toronto Win Mar 18 at Ottawa OT Loss Mar 20 at Atlanta Win Mar 22 vs Carolina Win Mar 24 vs Ottawa Win Mar 25 at Boston Win Mar 27 at NY Rangers Win Mar 29 vs Boston Win Mar 30 at New Jersey Loss Apr 1 at Toronto Win Apr 3 at Toronto OT Loss Apr 5 vs Ottawa Win Apr 7 vs Philadelphia Win Apr 8 at Ottawa Loss Apr 12 vs Montreal Win Apr 15 at Montreal Loss Apr 16 vs Toronto Win Apr 18 at Carolina Win That equates to a final record of 56-19-7 or 119 points. Not reasonable? We'll see. <_<
LabattBlue Posted March 15, 2006 Report Posted March 15, 2006 The NHL has this wonderful idea where rivalries are the priority. So, you play the team in your own division, what, 8 or 9 times? that's great, now look at Carolina's april schedule. they play back to back to back against the Caps, and that is sandwiched in between a couple of games against Atlanta. Ooooooo. Home-ice advantage: Carolina. Look at how great Detroit is doing, then look at their division. St.Louis, Columbus, Chicago - give me a break!! Never say never. Carolina just lost back to back games against Florida whose playoff hopes are fading fast.
Rock DJ Posted March 16, 2006 Report Posted March 16, 2006 Just look how hard it was for the sabres to beat the caps last night. Even though we out played them most of the game we barely came out with a win Do WHAT?????????? What game were you watching? We may have won, but it wasn't by outplaying them most of the game.....
Bring Back Sanderson Posted March 16, 2006 Report Posted March 16, 2006 Don't get carried away here...Carolina has really been struggling lately, and just got off the hook by beating a team that has also been struggling (and they did it at home). Yes, they play Washington 5 times....and yes, they play 3 consecutive games against the Caps. But those 5 games are cramped into a two week stretch. Not that Washington is anything special, but Carolina's not going to pick up 10 points in those 5 games...Washington plays too hard not to steal a couple (at least) points from them in that stretch. Look at the standings though...Buffalo has 6 games left against teams on life support in terms of making the playoffs (Toronto and Boston)...plus this year they've basically owned both teams. 5 of Buffalo's last 13 games are against these two teams...both could be essentially playing for nothing within 10 days. And a team that has had nothing to play for all year (Washington) is far more dangerous than a team running for the bus because their playoff hopes have flamed out. Carolina only plays 1 such team the rest of the way- Florida (once). They play the Bruins and Leafs too, but that's in the next few days while they still have playoff hopes. Buffalo still plays them twice. That's 4 points the Sabres can gain on them without even having to scoreboard watch. Add Buffalo's game in hand, and that's 6 points. Carolina's schedule down the stretch is ridiculously easy (ON PAPER) compared to Buffalo's, but then again, it has been all year, and Buffalo's essentially just a point behind them. Ottawa is the team I'm worried about....
buftex Posted March 16, 2006 Report Posted March 16, 2006 Keep in mind though, take away the 4 Ottawa games, and the 2 games against Carolina, and our shcedule isn't real tough either, on paper. If we can split with Ottawa, and sweep Carolina the rest of the way, we would likely be in very good position to win the conference. I don't know, however, if it is realistic to expect the Sabres to keep up this pace the rest of the way...they are bound to lose a game or two that they shouldn't. Hard to imagine Boston, as bad as they may be, going 0-8 against the Sabres... Either way though, I don't think it matters all that much. Lately, having the best record in the conference hasn't really meant all that much in the playoffs. Wherever the Sabres finish in the standings, I think their amazing consistancy (they have an almost identical record on the road as they do at home) will mean more in the playoffs, than how many points they finish with, in the regular season. Whatever happens, this should be a fun ride....
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