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Post by donjohnson on Feb 28, 2023 13:04:07 GMT -5
Well, it's been an interesting season with the additions of Misa and Parekh and then with the players we've traded and acquired. Regardless of all that, we're still hanging on to the #4 seed which would mean home-ice advantage in the first round which I think is VERY important for this team and I think winning a playoff series is even more important considering a healthy percentage of this team has never even played in the playoffs because of covid and a bad season last year.
Here's what is remaining on the season:
Must-Wins (4):
@ Kingston
vs. Erie
vs. Soo
@ Soo
Good Chance To Win (4):
@ Kitchener
vs. Hamilton
vs. Guelph
vs. Owen Sound
Low Chance To Win (1):
@ Peterborough
Not A Chance (2):
@ Ottawa
@ Windsor
So, for the final 11 games, I would say that we'll be 6-5 for that stretch (8-3 would be the high-water mark) and it's CRITICAL that we beat the bolded teams at home. Those are the 4-point swings at this point in the year. Honestly, the hard team to fend off is going to be our friends in Flint. Both Owen Sound and Guelph have pretty tough schedules down the stretch (tougher than us and Flint). If I had to predict it now, we're going to be facing Flint in the first round in the 4/5 matchup.
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Post by aj0512 on Mar 4, 2023 9:26:17 GMT -5
Going to be a wild finish for the 4/5 seeds in the Western Conference. Guelph has won six straight. Owen Sound has won three straight. It took Flint about 50ish games to figure out who their best goalie is, and now they've won three straight, including a beatdown of Windsor last night. Kitchener, a seemingly Jekyll and Hyde team, is 3-0-1 in their last four games. The Soo and Erie are pretty much toast.
4. Saginaw, 65 points (10 games left)
5. Guelph, 65 points (9 games left)
6. Owen Sound, 63 points (12 games left)
7. Flint, 61 points (9 games left)
8. Kitchener, 58 points (11 games left)
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Mar 4, 2023 13:12:00 GMT -5
Misa and Parekh both out of the lineup again today at Ottawa.
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Post by aj0512 on Mar 4, 2023 16:40:42 GMT -5
The Spirit rally from a 3-1 deficit with less than 8 minutes left, but ultimately fall in a shootout. Honestly can't be upset with that result. Big point in Ottawa. On to Kingston tomorrow.
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Post by donjohnson on Mar 4, 2023 16:42:06 GMT -5
Good start to the trip...3 out of 4 points in games that should be 0 out of 4...need to pick up a win versus Kingston tomorrow and then ride some momentum coming back home
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Mar 4, 2023 19:11:37 GMT -5
Games to watch tonight:
Guelph at Flint
Oshawa at Sault Ste Marie
Kitchener at Owen Sound
An Oshawa regulation win at Sault Ste Marie clinches a playoff spot for Saginaw.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Mar 5, 2023 18:11:58 GMT -5
Saginaw comes home with 5 out of a possible 6 points and a playoff birth on the weekend road trip. Closed out the weekend with a 7-3 win at Kingston. Next up Erie at home on Thursday and Sault Ste Marie at home on Saturday.
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Post by donjohnson on Mar 5, 2023 18:15:44 GMT -5
VERY, VERY good road trip taking 5 out of 6 points. Team has to be really happy about that and it was done without Misa and Parekh so that's awesome! I watched today and it was a TERRIBLE first period and then we controlled after that.
So, here's where we stand with 3 weeks to go in the season:
4 - 68pts - Saginaw (8gms remaining)
5 - 65pts - Guelph (8gms remaining)
6 - 63pts - Owen Sound (10gms remaining)
7 - 63pts - Flint (8gms remaining)
8 - 60pts - Kitchener (10gms remaining)
Here's how I still see the remaining schedule:
Must-Wins (3):
vs. Erie
vs. Soo
@ Soo
Good Chance To Win (4):
@ Kitchener
vs. Hamilton
vs. Guelph
vs. Owen Sound
Not A Chance (1):
@ Windsor
We just can't mess around with Erie or the Soo...that has to be 6 points. I think we need to win 3/4 of the "good chance to win" especially with 3 of them at home. I think 6 wins out of the final 8 would absolutely guarantee us home ice because again, I think Flint is in the best position to move up but they're 5 points behind us. Hopefully the boys realize the opportunity that they have with the remaining schedule...the second half began like a bear but it's very winnable down the stretch.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Mar 7, 2023 21:23:41 GMT -5
Kitchener with a big 4-1 win at home tonight against Guelph. With the Rangers win and Storm loss the updated standings are:
4 - 68pts - Saginaw (8gms remaining)
5 - 65pts - Guelph (7gms remaining)
6 - 63pts - Owen Sound (10gms remaining)
7 - 63pts - Flint (8gms remaining)
8 - 62pts - Kitchener (9gms remaining)
Kitchener has now won 5 straight and only given up 6 goals in those 5 games.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Mar 8, 2023 16:22:13 GMT -5
Tonight’s games to keep an eye on:
Erie at Flint
Owen Sound at North Bay
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Post by bpfox on Mar 8, 2023 18:56:07 GMT -5
Tonight’s games to keep an eye on: Erie at Flint Owen Sound at North Bay I will be switching the TV to Erie vs Flint in a couple of minutes. Since the Sprit aren't playing should I wear my Flint Firebirds Riley Piercey jersey? |
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Mar 8, 2023 21:23:33 GMT -5
Tonight’s games to keep an eye on: Erie at Flint Owen Sound at North Bay Well, North Bay helped out but Erie didn’t. North Bay 4 - Owen Sound 1 Flint 4 - Erie 1 Flint moves into a tie with Guelph for 5th in the Western Conference. I don’t know who currently owns the tie breaker between Flint and Guelph. Updated standings: 4 - 68pts - Saginaw (8gms remaining) 5 - 65pts - Guelph (7gms remaining) 5 - 65pts - Flint (7gms remaining) 7 - 63pts - Owen Sound (9gms remaining) 8 - 62pts - Kitchener (9gms remaining) |
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Post by bcspirit72 on Mar 8, 2023 22:08:57 GMT -5
Tonight’s games to keep an eye on: Erie at Flint Owen Sound at North Bay Well, North Bay helped out but Erie didn’t. North Bay 4 - Owen Sound 1 Flint 4 - Erie 1 Flint moves into a tie with Guelph for 5th in the Western Conference. I don’t know who currently owns the tie breaker between Flint and Guelph. Updated standings: 4 - 68pts - Saginaw (8gms remaining) 5 - 65pts - Guelph (7gms remaining) 5 - 65pts - Flint (7gms remaining) 7 - 63pts - Owen Sound (9gms remaining) 8 - 62pts - Kitchener (9gms remaining) Flint holds the tiebreaker by way ROW. |
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Post by donjohnson on Mar 9, 2023 13:13:56 GMT -5
The good news is that looking at the points, we cannot be caught. If we win the remainder of our games, we will finish in the 4th seed. If we beat Guelph, Owen Sound and Kitchener, I think it's almost guaranteed that we'll finish no worse than 5th. I still look back at my original post and the way that the schedules are, I think we're going to be in for an I-75 playoff battle which will be really fun. Anything can happen but our remaining schedule only includes 1 game (Windsor) against a team above us in the standings so hopefully we can take care of our own business and see what happens. Really need 2 home wins this week against teams that aren't going to make the playoffs. Erie and Soo always play us tough but we're significantly better than them so as long as we don't lay an egg (which we've unfortunately been known to do) we should come out of this week with 2 wins.
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Post by aj0512 on Mar 9, 2023 14:33:08 GMT -5
A Flint series would be intense and honestly I'm not sure if I'm ready for it lol. Not sure I want to play them as they seem to have figured it out down there. The two extra games Owen Sound and Kitchener have will be key.
It's nice to have a lighter schedule this weekend and hopefully there will be some home cooking.
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