the central is weighted the same way...but hockey has been so good these past few years.

The Central is weighted similarly, but at least there's Vancouver.

Not as bad as Doan's hit on Jamie Benn from the night before.

Math was very wrong on the Couv clinch. LA, San Jose, and Calgary (under a really outlandish theory) could all be ahead of Vancouver.

Why is that relevant? Their in the NW.

pgm is saying that the four best teams in the East are all from the same division whereas in the West the Canucks at least break things up.

My math wasn't wrong. If Calgary lost in regulation time, we would have clinched the NW. As it is, Calgary needs to win every game before the SO and the Canucks need to lose every game in regulation.

Actually a lot worse. Doan's was a glancing blow and Benn at least had the puck. Keith jumps with the elbow on a player without the puck. Premeditated, too.

This. It's not a huge difference, but it's still a difference.

I watched both and Doan's hit was worse. It may have been a glancing blow (in the sense that he continued skating past) but the fact that he went into a full wind up while skating forward makes the hit much more dangerous than a stationary elbow (in the same way just putting a stick into someones back and putting them into the boards is less dangerous than slamming your body into someone and boarding them). Benn also wasn't even looking on the play when Doan launched it. Doan is also a repeat offender. Sedin was and Keith was stationary (although bigger than Doan). Yes it was premeditated but it was in response to an earlier Sedin cheap shot. Probably should have been a major on the ice and maybe a couple game suspension given the lack of history. Do not understand the difference in suspensions for the two other than the fact that Sedin is a more established player than Benn and the legitimate fact that he was hurt. Doan's play is more dangerous.

Not really I don't think. I think it's actually tough to argue that New Jersey is a better team than Boston given that so many of their wins are predicated on winning shootouts (a skill that obviously doesn't translate to the playoffs).

That'd still place three teams in the Atlantic over them, but I'll let it go.

stars trying to hold onto that play-off spot

Well no matter what the other results tonight they won't lose a spot. The division is the killer. Anyhow come on boston finish LA. I'll be pissed if Phoenix and San Jose end up going to OT.

Well Stars get totally fucked by awful officiating tonight. Not only was every bullshit altercation that Calgary instigated given matching minors but once the game was 3-3 there was a blatantly obvious goalie interference by Tanguay on a power play that should have been called and would have kept the goal from scoring 10 seconds later. Then late in the game Ott took a "tripping" call that the broadcast couldn't find anywhere. Fucking horseshit. Calgary was really lucky to score two of their goals too.

Here's a puzzler (maybe ESPN fell asleep at the wheel). How are the Ducks not eliminated. They've got 5 games left and have 77 points. 8th place has 88. Seems to me unless they start giving out negative points they can't make it.