Playoff Life Support - March 9th

For at least one night, Buffalo Sabres fans can join together with New Jersey Devils as their teams sit idle and cheer for the same teams. Two games tonight have major playoff implications for both teams as the season starts to wind to a close.

Here’s a quick look at the match-ups and their impact on the race:

Atlanta at Carolina

For the Devils: This game needs to end in regulation. A 3 point match-up, while not completely devastating at this point, down the road could be brutal as the Devils try to climb their way from the basement of the league to the top 8 in the conference. The optimal result is the Thrashers winning, and while it will put New Jersey 3 back from catching Atlanta, the bigger picture is to keep the Hurricanes from putting any further distance between them and the Devils.

For the Sabres: Atlanta can win this match up in extra time, but the optimal result is a regulation victory. Should the Hurricanes force overtime, but fail to win, they would pull into a tie with Buffalo, but still be on the outside looking in by way of wins. If the Hurricanes win this game, the Sabres fall back to 9th by a point but they do gain the game in hand, thus keeping the Sabres in control of their own destiny.

Rangers at Anaheim

For both teams: This game not only needs to end in regulation, but the Ducks have to get this one. The more teams at the bottom of the pack, the better the Devils odds get as long as they get back to their winning ways and the rest play mediocre. New Jersey sits 10 points back of the Rangers after failing to close any ground with their regulation loss last night. Buffalo is in a much better position, obviously, being in the 8th seed. The Sabres’ currently sit only 2 back of the Blue Shirts, but 9 back of 6th placed Montreal. Both Buffalo and New Jersey have 2 games in hand on New York, making a loss tonight for the Rangers a critical hit to their playoff chances. Yes the Rangers currently sit in the playoffs in 7th place, but Carolina also has 2 games in hand and is only 3 points back. If you want to stretch even further, Toronto is 6 back, with a game in hand.


It should be an interesting night for the Eastern Conference.