Monday, March 17, 2008

The real playoff chase (or, how I have no idea if I'm flying East in April...)

While the Kings will be on the golf course immediately following the regular season, it's a real coin toss as to whether the Manchester Monarchs can grab one of the last playoff spots in the American League.

If you haven't been following the race, here's a quick update on how the standings look on Monday morning:

The top 4 teams in each division make the playoffs. The Monarchs are in the ATLANTIC Division. The Atlantic standings ---

1. PROVIDENCE (Bruins)(98 points, 67 games played)
2. HARTFORD (Rangers) (88 pts, 67 GP)
3. PORTLAND (Ducks) (88 pts, 69 GP)
4. SPRINGFIELD (Oilers) (70 pts, 67 GP)
5. MANCHESTER (Kings) (69 pts, 67 GP)
6. WORCESTER (Sharks) (62 pts, 66 GP)
7. LOWELL (Devils) (53 pts, 66 GP)

So, with Lowell looking like the AHL version of the Kings, and Worcester's hopes probably fading fast, it's really going to come down to the battle between Springfield and Manchester for that fourth and final spot.

The AHL plays an 80 game schedule, so the Monarchs have 13 games remaining.
3/19 @ Springfield
3/22 @ Portland
3/23 H Springfield
3/26 H Portland NOTE: THE NHL NETWORK is playing this game on 3/27 as an AHL Game of the Week!!!! (a day late?!?)
3/28 @ Norfolk (7th place - East Division - 55 pts, 68 GP)
3/29 @ Norfolk
3/30 @ Hershey (4th place - East Division - 74 pts, 67 GP)
4/2 H Bridgeport (6th place - East Division - 71 pts, 66 GP)
4/4 @ Lowell
4/5 H Worcester
4/6 @ Providence
4/11 @ Providence
4/12 H Providence

So, Hershey and Bridgeport, along with Binghampton (5th pl - 73 pts, 66 GP) are in a real dogfight in the East.

Manchester vs. Springfield this season (Home Team BOLD:
10/7 Springfield 3, Manchester 2 (OT)
10/13 Manchester 4, Springfield 3
11/3 Manchester 5, Springfield 3
11/17 Manchester 4, Springfield 3 (OT)
11/21 Springfield 4, Manchester 1
2/18 Manchester 2, Springfield 1 (OT)
3/2 Manchester 5, Springfield 2
3/12 Manchester 3, Springfield 1

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

so...if the Monarchs make the playoffs, you'd be coming to watch?

sweet!!!!!

Matthew Barry said...

If they has Stamkos, they'd be in first :)

Anonymous said...

Stamkos wasn't age-eligible to play in the AHL at the start of the season.

I'd love to see him be the Kings' first pick in the June draft.