Once again the Predators are flirting with a first-round playoff matchup with the San Jose Sharks, which spells nothing but bad news.
The Sharks have put the Predators out of the playoffs two times and have always seemed to have their number. No matter how hot the Predators may be playing right now, a matchup with the Sharks would just be disastrous from a confidence standpoint.
As odd as this sounds, the Predators would be better off falling back to the seventh or eighth spot and playing the Blackhawks, a team they know very well, in the first round.
Making the playoffs would be nothing new to this organization. They've made the playoffs four of the last five seasons, but have never advanced past the first round.
Currently the Predators sit sixth in the standings and would play the Canucks if the playoffs started today. As we all know they don't start today unfortunately.
Disappointing injuries to Jason Arnott and Joel Ward have hindered the Predators a little bit lately, but the goaltending of Pekka Rinne has been stellar.
There's only eight games remaining on the schedule for the Predators and it's still possible that they could play their way out of contention. They've got a red hot Coyotes team up next with the Red Wings waiting for them on Saturday night in Nashville.
I'll take anyone but those pesky Sharks, even if that means losing their last game of the season to avoid them.
Preds Playoff History
- 2004: Lost in 6 to Red Wings
- 2006: Lost in 5 to Sharks
- 2007: Lost in 5 to Sharks
- 2008: Lost in 6 to Red Wings
No comments:
Post a Comment