81 thoughts on “April 3, 2015: Two Days”

  1. Wild Playoff Watch: Can't Win Them All Edition

    It was a bad night results-wise for Minnesota. First off, they lost to a really good Rangers team 3-2. Then you factor in wins for LA, Chicago, and St. Louis and it was a night that just didn't go the Wild's way.

    With that loss, the Wild cannot earn the #1 seed in the West. St. Louis and Chicago clinched playoff berths with their wins.

    Calgary lost, so now the Wild have a magic number of 5 for both Calgary and Winnipeg, who play each other on the final day of the season. Since someone has to lose that game, the Wild's playoff magic number is down to 4. Two wins in five games is all it takes to get in.

    GAMES TONIGHT:

    St. Louis @ Dallas
    Chicago @ Buffalo - both the Blues and the Hawks travel to a game as the second of a back-to-back the night after clinching a playoff spot. Hopefully all that works in the Wild's favor.

    SATURDAY GAMES:

    Detroit @ Minnesota - Might as well try to win this one. The Wild could clinch a playoff spot with a win here and regulation losses by Winnipeg and Calgary.

    Winnipeg @ Vancouver - Winnipeg needs a win to keep pace with LA and Calgary
    Calgary @ Edmonton - I don't think anyone can count on the Oilers putting up much of a fight at this point.
    Colorado @ Los Angeles - Colorado is mathematically eliminated with a loss.
    Dallas @ Nashville - The race in the Central is going to be fun. Especially with...

    SUNDAY GAMES:

    St. Louis @ Chicago - Nashville and Minnesota are united in their desire for "no overtime, please!"

    1. slight correction. Minnesota can clinch a playoff spot on Saturday in the following scenarios.

      Minnesota gets a non-shootout win and Calgary loses in regulation.
      Minnesota gets a non-shootout win and Calgary loses in OT/SO and Winnipeg loses in regulation.
      Minnesota gets a non-shootout win and Calgary loses in OT/SO and LA loses in regulation.
      Minnesota gets a non-shootout win and Winnipeg and LA both lose in regulation.
      Minnesota wins in a shootout and Calgary and Winnipeg both lose in regulation.
      Minnesota wins in a shootout and Calgary and LA both lose in regulation.**
      Minnesota wins in a shootout and Calgary loses in OT/SO and Winnipeg and LA lose in regulation.**

      **These scenarios assume the Wild maintain their lead in the goal differential tiebreaker over the Kings. Currently Minnesota has a significant advantage (+32 to +15)

        1. planning to leave early today, as we are going to a seder. #secularstateemployeeonsalary

            1. Our friends keep kosher AND are allergic/have health-related dietary restrictions to lots of things one might describe as "tasty". Great beer selection that I won't get to touch tonight... Because Passover. sniff.

              1. Yeah, well, today is a day of fasting and abstinence (from meat) for me, so I'm not feeling your pain.

                1. Could be worse. The wife could have taken the kids to the zoo while you sit on the deck drinking beer and making it.

    1. I couldn't figure out if this was a RR thing, a Canadian-owned company thing, or a "needed to find a 10th holiday to put on the calendar" thing.

  2. Just deposited the Girl at the airport. School trip to Kingdom of Foreign. With the Boy in the Orient and the Girl in Aragon and Castile, we are entering a trial Empty Nest phase.

    1. Woo Hoo! Time to give the wife a knowingly wink and say "well kids aren't around and the dog's been walked. We got nothing else going on...."

    1. I can imagine a character in one of his books building huge glass walls to reduce the bird population now in some sort of attempt to save the species long term from the effects of climate change.

        1. I read a book (fiction) a long ways back about the last Greak Auk, ironically killed by someone trying to do research on why the Great Auks were disappearing. He needed a specimen.

    1. Yeah, trying too hard (this from the boyo who pens Fluffy the Plouffe sponge poems each year).

  3. Well, Team USA had a tie breaker match against Finland to try to move on to the four team playoffs. But, Minnesota gonna Minnesota and they fell 6-5 on the last stone, a draw to the four foot by the Fins.

    The cusp of the playoffs is way, way better than anyone thought the US would do, so at least there's that.

    1. Too bad I couldn't find a way to watch this on a day off.

      Good showing for Team USA, however.

      1. It wasn't broadcast anyway. Apparently TSN is not interested in getting the sport internationally even though it's dying in Canada.

      1. Not until they put Pelfrey in the rotation instead of, like, Meyer or someone.

        1. Prescient

          The Twins have recalled lefty reliever Aaron Thompson to take Santana's roster spot. Mike Pelfrey to the rotation, per @Twins_morsecode

          1. This is clearly not helpful, but it's not like we expected Santana to be an ace. Plus, I think Pelfrey will be on a pretty short leash. if he doesn't get something accomplished by the end of April, it'll be time for May.

        2. So... Pelfrey gets mad that he's not in the rotation
          Santana tests positive, and doesn't know how it entered his system.
          Pelfrey magically appears back in the rotation...

          Hmm....

    1. It's ok you guys, he didn't know.

      I am very disappointed that I tested positive for a performance enhancing drug. I am frustrated that I can’t pinpoint how the substance in question entered my body. I would never knowingly take anything illegal to enhance my performance. What I can guarantee is I never knowingly took anything illegal to enhance my performance

    2. Wow. That's just ... That's a kick to the gut. I'd like to believe Santana, but it's unbelievable that a veteran like him would allow anything that contained that in his body.

      1. Ha! Our partners SDSU are going with NDSU. The Bison and Jacks are joined at the hip, for sure.

    1. I'm planning on swinging through and grabbing a burger on my way through in a few weeks. I expect a full report!

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