Calgary Can Still Edge Chicago in NHL Playoff Race

Frank Doyle crunches the numbers to see who’s still worth betting on in the final week of the NHL regular season.

It’s the end of the road. This is the final week of the regular season and if anybody wants to get on the bus, they’ve got to get on now.

Calgary did the Flames’ cause no harm with wins at St Louis and Colorado on Friday and Saturday to stay within one point of the eighth seeded Blackhawks, but the Flames have only two games left in the regular season, while the Hawks have four. Math isn’t on the Flames’ side – the odds on Calgary’s chance of a playoff spot are something like 20/1.

But scheduling may just come to the Flames’ rescue. Calgary’s remaining games are on home ice against Edmonton and Vancouver, and it’s reasonable to presume that Calgary will be too good for the Oilers and too motivated for the Canucks, who don’t care what happens as long as they’re fit and healthy for the playoffs.

Chicago, by contrast, don’t have any gimmes on the schedule. The Hawks are at Montreal tonight, a -115 favorite on the morning moneyline, but the Habs can guarantee a place in the playoffs and won’t spare themselves.

St Louis is a rival city of Chicago in war and in peace. The Blues would like to make some noise in the United Center on Wednesday night and then it’s a road and home series with the Red Wings to finish out the season. Calgary’s hopes are by no means lost.

Over in the East, the top of the table is a little more interesting than the bottom. Philadelphia and Washington have the best records in the League, but they’ve both got troubles. The Capitals have issues over their defense, but the Flyers have issues over their ability to win a game at all.

Philadelphia is 6-5-4 since March, and that includes an infamous 7-0 drilling delivered in Madison Square Garden at the hands of the Rangers on March 6^th. Philly has Danny Brière, Blair Betts and Chris Pronger all on the DL and you have to think the Flyers look vulnerable heading for the playoffs.

Philadelphia visits Ottawa tonight, Buffalo on Friday and is at home to the Islanders on Saturday. Washington is at Toronto tonight, and then home and away against the Panthers. So even though Philly has the advantage over the Caps, the Caps have the easier run-in.

At the bottom of the table, the Sabres are the men in possession of the eighth seed and the Hurricanes are the men in hot pursuit. Buffalo is an NHL betting home favorite when it hosts Tampa Bay tonight and Philly on Friday, before closing the season off at Columbus on Saturday. The ‘Canes are at home to Detroit tomorrow night, at Atlanta Friday and close out at home to Tampa Bay on Saturday.