By the numbers
11: The number of points between SE Division leading Canes (who have 35 points) and the Caps.
5: The number of points between the Thrashers/Ning and the Caps. The Thrasher and Ning hold the number two and three spots in the SE division.
46: Points for the league leading Detroit Red Wings.
8:The number of points between the Caps and Philly/Pittsburgh/Montreal, who respectively hold slots 6-8 in the Eastern Conference.
92: The points the Islanders needed to slip into the final Eastern conference playoff slot last season.
92:The number of points the Caps will have if they win 2/3 of their remaining games.
52: The number of games the Caps have left this season.
NOTE: A pertinent comment from one of Tarik's chats:
National Cathedral: So what is the magic number for the Caps to get into the 8th spot this year 42? Also are there any mile stones they need to hit along way...win 13 of the next 22 and stats wise they are in (this is just an example of what I am looking for, that stat doesn't make sense I understand)...
Thanks
Tarik El-Bashir: I would think they would need 40 or more wins and 92 or more points. The key for the Caps this year is to go as close to .500 on the road as possible.
5 comments:
I want to believe, but I do not think the Caps can win two thirds of there games.
Shame. As a NC native, I can honestly say the 'Canes could win the Stanley Cup again, and 90% of the state would have no idea it happened. Unless the Cup was presented in the infield at a NASCAR race. Or during halftime at a Duke-Carolina game.
1) We floated the idea of how difficult it would be for the caps to make the playoffs a week or 2 ago. They probably made the deceision to relieve Hanlon about 2-3 weeks too late
2) As for what it will take, they need to play lights out at home and stay near the .500 on the road the rest of the way. Impossible? No, but improbable.
To all you, I say this: You gotta believe! And beer will help that process.
I don't think it's reasonable to expect the Capitals to win 2 of 3 or play at a 105 point pace week in, week out for the rest of the season. What they'll likely need is a big run: seven in a row, 9 of 11, 15 of 19, something like that, to make up a lot of ground at once. If they do that, they'll be right back in it and just need to play at that 92 point pace for the rest of the season.
So:
(7, 10 or 12 game hot streak) + (92 point pace from there on out) = feasible; playoff contention
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