2 weeks to go

So 2 weeks until the end of the regular season. In 14 days the curtain will close and the dust will settle. Who will still be alive at the end of it?

It isn't long left now and the season has been long and hard, we have seen many injuries and many heart breaks as well as moments of extreme joy and happiness. 30 teams becomes 16 and even now there are still questions about who will be among those 16.

The Stars looked a dead cert for the playoffs only a couple of months ago and even looked to have it back on track after a horrid slide amid their own share of injuries. Now they sit outside looking in with little time to do much about it. The teams they have been concentrating on (Ducks and Preds) have gone on hot streaks which included 2 heart breaking losses for the Stars who are in the middle of a horrible run that has seen them lose grip on a playoff spot. The road ahead isn't pretty either, with the next 4 game road trip taking in the 4 teams they share the division with and who they also are currently staring up at, a division the Stars themselves led for the best part of 3 months. After that they have a fairly smooth run facing off for 4 games against 3 teams who know they will be out of it when is all said and done however by that point it may be a little too late.

That said a look at the Blackhawks reveals there is still hope. The Hawks still have to face 3 games against their hated division rivals the Detroit Red Wings and are only 2 pts ahead of the Stars for the final playoff spot. The Stars also sit 3 pts back of the Ducks with a game in hand and a head to head with them still to play so they do still control an element of their own destiny. The hurdle has risen extremely high with the last few games but it is by no means insurmountable and I for one still believe in them. If this season has shown us anything it is that in 2 weeks an awful lot can change.

How are you feeling about your teams chances? Be it fighting for that last spot or simply preparing for a run at the cup.

Last night's win over the Flyers gave the Bruins their playoff berth. The Flyers, Pens and Caps have also claimed their places, so there are four more spots up for grabs and a lot of teams fighting for them.

I can see a bit of shuffling between the four teams already in those places (Bolts, Habs, Rangers, and Sabres) with Carolina and the Leafs just missing out.

Feeling quite good now...the comeback against the Hawks was brilliant and frankly there are too many guys on our roster playing well for the team to miss out. Perry is one of the hottest players in the league right now. Selanne, Getzlaf, Visnovsky, Lydman, Ryan...all playing well. Hiller's injury hasn't turned out to be too damaging to the team with Ellis and Emery's (a story in itself) solid goaltending have more than compensated. It seems a little bit of a travesty if the team doesn't make it now....

So sorry, Homer - as much as I love you I have to want the Stars to lose each and every game as I feel you are the only club outside the top 8 who can make it to the play-offs (Flames will have to win all of their remaining fixtures to get in) but beyond the regular season I don't mind...anything is a bonus. I believe the Ducks are potentially a dangerous opponent to anyone but they're certainly not a cup contender.

The Rangers have been awesome as of late and have been heavily boosted by the superb netminding from Henrik Lundqvist. By no means am i saying were already there but surely .500 hockey will get the Rangers a playoff berth. The way we have been playing of late i hope we could get a 5th or 6th seed playoff berth.

West is, once again, more exciting this year. ducks, blackhawks, stars and flames fighting it out for two spots. i personally am afraid to say i think it will remain how it is, with dallas and calgary just missing out. In the east i think it's only carolina who might grab a playoff spot but again i think it will stay how it is right now. but there could well be some nervous games up ahead.
as far as my Caps go, we've been on an awesome run recently, leading us up to just 2 points off the flyers for 1st place. i think we may just overtake them. 1st place would be a great performance for this team, after the poor run from around november to january. we haven't really been in danger of missing out on the postseason but haven't looked great. but recently we have been playing brilliant playoff-style hockey. i think this team will go deep.
also just pointing out, i said from the start of last season that we would win the cup this year...

Yeah, really fancy the Caps this year...

Caps are doing what they were heavily critisised for not doing before....playing solid D. I think they will do well with a rested Ovie and a fresh outlook not to mention the fact they seem to have hit their stride at the right time.

My head says the Stars will just miss out, too many hot teams in front and the players look deflated after the way the last week went. That said my heart still says they can do it so until it is mathematically impossible to do so I will continue to believe they can do it

I think the Caps need to avoid the Rangers/Sabres or Canes the Habs would be a great first round matchup for them

Feeling really nervous at the moment, not going to lie. Only positive for the stars at the moment is the trade of Golisgoski. I hold my head up high, seeing as I took a lot of stick on the stars facebook page when I said it was a good trade.

I will be gutted if we don't make the playoffs, as I feel we deserve them more than anyone else. We came into the season with, I'm not going to lie, one of the weakest teams on paper, yet we surprised everyone and flew to the top of the west by Christmas. The players have worked their socks off, especially Kari in goal, and I really hope they get what they deserve come the end of the regular season.

Im with you on this one Homer, a hawks slide down the table seems likely to me, putting us in 7th/8th spot. I'd love 7th just to avoid the small issue of the nucks in the first round of the playoffs.

GO STARS GOOOOOO!!!!!

YourDallasStars wrote:

I will be gutted if we don't make the playoffs, as I feel we deserve them more than anyone else. We came into the season with, I'm not going to lie, one of the weakest teams on paper, yet we surprised everyone and flew to the top of the west by Christmas. The players have worked their socks off, especially Kari in goal, and I really hope they get what they deserve come the end of the regular season.

Im with you on this one Homer, a hawks slide down the table seems likely to me, putting us in 7th/8th spot. I'd love 7th just to avoid the small issue of the nucks in the first round of the playoffs.

I really wouldn't count on the Hawks "sliding down the table". If the Stars make the play-offs they deserve to be there. And if not then they don't! Simples.

As long as the Hawks have Brian Blessed and the Ducks Flash Gordon Dallas will be a dim star in the Ming galaxy.... sorry been watching 1980s classics this evening

BuffonIdol wrote:As long as the Hawks have Brian Blessed and the Ducks Flash Gordon Dallas will be a dim star in the Ming galaxy.... sorry been watching 1980s classics this evening

Which must make the Leafs Peter Duncan. A small and inconsequential role....

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