There are still about three months of the regular season left before the playoffs are officially hammered out, but the trade deadline will come up quickly, and by that point, teams should already know whether or not they should go for one of those final playoff spots. At this point in the year, teams undoubtedly would like some sort of direction. Where is their team heading?
Vancouver and Nashville are a pair of teams that are looking for a bit of resolution. They sit 9th and 10th, essentially, in the Western Conference, hoping to still be relevant to the Wild Card fight. Both would like a little bit of clarity. They will play tonight in Nashville, with both teams having a lot to gain from a victory.
All signs point to the Predators having the advantage in this affair. They have the most points per game, with two in hand over Vancouver. Vancouver also maintains a -19 goal differential, compared to Nashvilles +5. They have simply been unable to keep the puck out of the net, despite Ryan Miller in between the pipes.
But then there are the signs that Vancouver commands the advantage. First, Vancouver has been formidable of late, losing only one game in regulation in their last 10, going 6-1-3. The game being played in British Columbia will also be an advantage for the Canucks, who are 15-6-3 on home ice. One would argue that it is they who have the most to lose, as they are relying on points earned at home.
As an added bonus, we are 2 points away from Henrik Sedin having 1000 for his career. Man, I’ve always focused on how much they creep me out, I never realized they were actually also really good.
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