The season is winding down and the Pens and Rangers are locked in a tight race for 1st in not only the Division but the Eastern Conference as well. Below we take a look at the remaining schedule for both teams as well as why we are perfectly fine with finishing 4th.
Pens remaining schedule:
Tonight @ Islanders
Tomorrow @ Buffalo
Sunday 4/1 vs Philly
Tuesday 4/3 @ Boston
Thursday 4/5 vs Rangers
Saturday 4/7 vs Philly
Rangers remaining schedule:
Tomorrow @ Montreal
Sunday 4/1 vs Boston
Tuesday 4/3 @ Philly
Thursday 4/5 @Pittsburgh
Saturday 4/7 vs Washington
Obviously this schedule favors the Rangers. Montreal sucks. Boston is maybe getting their game back. 2 tough road games in Philly and Pittsburgh and ending the season at home against the Caps who pretty much don't care anymore.
The Pens have a game in hand on the Rangers but that goes away tonight when they go to Long Island to play the Isles. Then they have to go to Buffalo who is clinging on to the 8th spot right now. Then they have a Sunday afternoon matchup with Philly before heading to Boston. They then return home to take on the Rangers and end the season at home vs Philly.
We could be super homers and say the Pens will run he table and finish 1st. But we aren't going that way. The Rangers currently have a 5 point lead in the East so they would have to fall 3 times and the Pens basically would have to run the table to get 1st. We really don't think this is going to happen setting up a 1st round playoff Hell in a Cell match with the Flyers most likely. But here why you should be ok with this.
Here are the Atlantic Division Winners and how they've fared in the Playoffs since the lockout.
05-06. Division Winner: New Jersey. Eliminated: Round 2
06-07. Division Winner: New Jersey. Eliminated: Round 2
07-08. Division Winner: Pittsburgh: Lost in the Cup Finals
08-09. Division Winner: New Jersey. Eliminated Round 1
09-10. Division Winner: New Jersey. Eliminated Round 1
10-11. Division Winner: Philadelphia. Eliminated Round 2
Only 1 Atlantic Division Winner has gotten passed the 2 round since the lockout. This is one of the reasons we are perfectly fine with not winning the Division. The Pens finished 2nd in the Division and 4th in the East in 2009 and went on to win the cup. Another reason we don't care if the Pens finish 1st teams that finish 1st in the regular season don't fare very well in the playoffs. Evidence:
2005-2006
1st East: Ottawa. Eliminated Round 2
1st West: Detroit. Eliminated Round 1
All the top seeds in the West were eliminated in the 1st round.
Stanley Cup Winner: 2nd seeded Carolina over 8th seeded Edmonton.
2006-2007
1East: Buffalo. Eliminated Round 3.
1West: Detroit. Eliminated Round 3.
Stanley Cup Winner: 2nd seeded Anaheim over 4th seeded Ottawa.
2007-2008
1East: Montreal. Eliminated round 2
1West: Detroit. Won Cup over 2nd Seeded Pittsburgh.
2008-2009
1East: Boston. Eliminated round 2
1West: San Jose. Eliminated Round 1
Stanley Cup Winner: 4th seeded Pittsburgh over 2nd seeded Detroit
2009-2010
1East: Washington. Eliminated round 1
1West: San Jose. Eliminated round 3
Stanley Cup Winners: 2nd seeded Chicago over 7th seeded Philly
2010-2011
1East: Washington. Eliminated Round 2
1West: Vancouver. Lost Cup to 3rd seeded Boston
Obviously 1st seeds in both Conferences have a problem with getting to the Finals. The only team to get there and win was Detroit. Vancouver got there and lost. This is why we would be perfectly fine if the Pens held onto the 4th seed going into the playoffs. No matter what happens business is about to pick up.
Pens/Isles in like 4 seconds.
Go Pens
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