Put The Coffee On . . .

For all of you out there monitoring the playoff chase via Center Ice or NHL Network, tonight will keep you up late again (at least for those who stayed up to catch the end result of the Anaheim - Nashville game last night). Here are the games, times (EDT) and desired results for the evening's fare:

Colorado over Edmonton (9:30 PM)
Vancouver vs. St. Louis (10:00 PM) *
Phoenix over Anaheim (10:00 PM)
San Jose over Nashville (10:30 PM)

* Two schools of thought for rooting purposes on this one. Plan A would be to root for Vancouver to put another nail in the St. Louis playoff coffin. St. Louis is 7 points behind us, with a game in hand. Take the game in hand away from them tonight, and their job becomes much tougher. Plan B wold be to root for St. Louis to win, keeping us within 3 points of the Canucks, and bringing them down to only 1 game in hand. So, if you are an optimist (focusing on 4th or 5th place) root for St. Louis. If you are a pessimist (worried about the folks chasing us in 9th through 12th place), root for Vancouver. Whichever you are, root against a 3 point game!

So, the winning squad should be butting heads with their goalie in San Jose just about 1:00 AM our time. Combining the NCAA Tournament games with the hockey schedule may make today and tomorrow two of the least productive working days in recent memory . . .

Go Jackets!