.500 hockey for the balance of the season could mean playoffs

[Do Make Say Think]

The upcoming road trip is going to be massive

I'll be talking playoffs if we do well on the next road trip, not going to jinx anything today!

 

[Indrew]

The Senators have 13 games left against non-playoff teams (as of today). They just need to win the games a playoff team should and they will have 52 points and a ticket to the dance.

 

[Healfezza]

Right now, the 8th place is on pace for 51 points. Does the 54-55 point some of the guys are talking about factor in that they are only playing their own conference? or does it even change anything?

I can't find the numbers, but I think historically the Western conference has a better record against the East meaning we give up more points to the other conference over the course of the season. That would mean that by having strict intra-conference play our conference should have a higher overall point total then in a regular year.

This could mean the grade to make the playoffs could be higher then in previous seasons.

You would also want to take into account the point totals of bottom feeders in each conference, if we have weaker lower end teams then there could be higher point totals for the playoff seeds.

As you said, if we look at the point totals of the current 8th seed we arn't far off from historical norms but actually below it right now.

 

[YNWA14]

As you said, if we look at the point totals of the current 8th seed we arn't far off from historical norms but actually below it right now.

Woops, misread.

We're on pace for 106 points which would have had us 3rd in the conference and 5th overall last year. Pretty exciting. Shouldn't take much to get us into the playoffs...hopefully. Riding hot goaltending and a strong defensive system should be doable in a shortened season like this.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

If we get Anderson back, winning 4 games won't be that hard, IMO.

 

[OgieO]

We play the next 5 and 7 of our next 8 on the road. If we can get through this stretch at or above .500, we'll be in great shape for the playoffs.

Next 8 games:
@ Boston
@ Philly
@ NYI
@ Toronto
@ NYR
vs Boston
@ Montreal
@ Buffalo

Hoping we can squeak 4 wins out of that stretch of games, but it's going to be tough.

We ended up going 2-2-4 and now look like a lock for the playoffs as our schedule isn't nearly as tough the rest of the month.

@NYI
BOS
TBL
NJ
NYR
TOR

It will be interesting as 5 of those 6 games are against teams behind us in the standings, and 4 of those 5 are chasing us and contending for the final 4 playoff spots (although we have a small cushion now). I guess you could also throw Tampa in there too, but I don't see them with a shot to catch us.

It would be nice to separate from those behind us and settle into a nice niche in the 5th spot but even if we don't pull away, playoffs are very likely for us after surviving that brutal stretch of 7 away games out of 8.

 

[OgieO]

Btw - only 4 games against teams ahead of us in the standings as of today. Boston x3 (ugh) and one game against Pitt. Not terribly surprising considering only 3 teams are ahead of us, but still nice that the toughest part of our schedule is behind us.

 

[Indrew]

The Sens do still have a 7 game road trip coming up starting in April. The IIHF Women's Championship is in town. Hopefully this homestand coming up provides us enough of a points boost.

 

[danishh]

The Sens do still have a 7 game road trip coming up starting in April. The IIHF Women's Championship is in town. Hopefully this homestand coming up provides us enough of a points boost.

yeah, i said it when the schedule came out, we need to be comfortable before that road trip. Unfortunately, the trip is right after the trade deadline, so we have to make those types of decisions without really knowing how we'll perform on the trip. On the other hand, we do finish with 5 of 6 at home, so there is a chance to make up for a bad trip.

Bottom line, build up a cushion before the trip/trade deadline and we dont have to worry about anything.

 

[Sens91]

Sounds bad, but I'd be okay finishing 6th and playing the winner of the SouthEast lol. In fact, I would love it.

 

[xking23]

Worst case scenario for play off positions. Carolina wins SE, Montreal wins NE. So 5th, 6th, 7th play Boston, Carolina and Pittsburgh. All of them are Sens Killers.

 

[JB52]

According to sportsclubstats. com Ottawa have 58% chances of finishing 5th which would mean that the more likely opponent would be the Montreal Canadian with 38.3 % of chances.

Considering that we won the first game 5-1, that the result of the second game is still unclear, that we won the third one in shoutout and lost the last one in shoutout, we could compete against them.

Things could be better if we finish sixth and play against Carolina or Winnipeg, but things would be worst if Montreal finish first or second pushing Boston down in fourth.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

According to sportsclubstats. com Ottawa have 58% chances of finishing 5th which would mean that the more likely opponent would be the Montreal Canadian with 38.3 % of chances.

Considering that we won the first game 5-1, that the result of the second game is still unclear, that we won the third one in shoutout and lost the last one in shoutout, we could compete against them.

Things could be better if we finish sixth and play against Carolina or Winnipeg, but things would be worst if Montreal finish first or second pushing Boston down in fourth.

Oh god I would hate playing Montreal in the playoffs, everyone at work is a ******* habs fan!

It would be fantastic if we won but I wouldn't bet on the Senators winning a series against the Habs right now. I can't stand that team (or the city) but they are playing outstanding hockey right now; we're getting the wins but it's by the skin of our teeth.

The worst would be the Penguins though

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Oh god I would hate playing Montreal in the playoffs, everyone at work is a ******* habs fan!

It would be fantastic if we won but I wouldn't bet on the Senators winning a series against the Habs right now. I can't stand that team (or the city) but they are playing outstanding hockey right now; we're getting the wins but it's by the skin of our teeth.

The worst would be the Penguins though

With Spezza, Anderson, Michalek back, we'd be better than them.