Spring Break
Flyers Skid Opens Playoff Door For Capitals
NHL
Emre Aksoy
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Sports
Last season, the Buffalo Sabres were the most feared team in the Eastern Conference. With four lines that could skate, their transitional attack was unbelievable. Teams would turn the puck over in the neutral zone and would have to go to the back of their net to find it. But the off-season was not a pleasant one for the Saber fans, who watched their team turn into a tag sale. After losing captain Chris Drury, Daniel Briere and starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun all to free agency, things did not bode well for the Sabres this season. They remained competitive into the season, but they were forced to trade another key competent of their team at the trade deadline. The Sabres were forced to move their All-Star defensemen Brian Campbell to the Sharks due to financial reasons. The team was able to adjust without having Drury and Briere in the lineup, but losing Campbell at the deadline will no doubt have a monstrous effect on the teams production. The Sabers still have a great chance of making the playoffs, but all the losses might be too much for them to overcome.
The Florida Panthers are making a late-season push at the playoffs, and they very well might just get there. The problem with this team is that no one told them the season starts in October and not in March. Every year the Panthers struggle in the beginning of the season and try to make a late push at the end of the season to make the playoffs. The Panthers have all the right pieces; it's just a matter of them showing up to play. Although it looks like the Panthers will fall short of the playoffs this season, this bodes well for them in the future. Playing in the weak Southeast Division, anything can happen. Overall, losing Richard Zednik might have been an injury that keeps this team on the outside this year, they will be able to challenge Carolina for the Southeast Division next season.
The playoffs start in two weeks, and it looks like we won't know who will claim the last spot until the final day of the season.
Contact Emre Aksoy at
Emre.Aksoy@UConn.edu.
The Florida Panthers are making a late-season push at the playoffs, and they very well might just get there. The problem with this team is that no one told them the season starts in October and not in March. Every year the Panthers struggle in the beginning of the season and try to make a late push at the end of the season to make the playoffs. The Panthers have all the right pieces; it's just a matter of them showing up to play. Although it looks like the Panthers will fall short of the playoffs this season, this bodes well for them in the future. Playing in the weak Southeast Division, anything can happen. Overall, losing Richard Zednik might have been an injury that keeps this team on the outside this year, they will be able to challenge Carolina for the Southeast Division next season.
The playoffs start in two weeks, and it looks like we won't know who will claim the last spot until the final day of the season.
Contact Emre Aksoy at
Emre.Aksoy@UConn.edu.
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