For the first time in NHL history the 2 Finalists from the previous year's Stanley Cup Finals have not qualified for the next year's tournament. The Carolina Hurricanes blew a 2 goal lead tonight against Tampa to end their quest to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. The Edmonton Oilers were eliminated with the Pronger trade.
The Canes have 86 points, while the Montreal Canadiens have 90 and each have 2 games remaining. The first tie-breaker is total wins and the Habs have 42 to Carolina's 39. So, you do the math.
On the other hand, the team they knocked off to get to that Finals series against the Oilers, the Buffalo Sabres, secured home ice through the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team as hot in the second half of this season as the Sabres were in the first. It was a solid performance by the Sabres as their struggling PK unit came up large in this game, going 8 for 8. This is the first time since 1980 that the Sabres have earned the top seed in their conference and their first Division Title since 1997.
As I started to write this post tonight I got an e-mail from the Acid Queen, Canes-blogger and Hockey Lady of Greatness, reminding me to enjoy this time now, "cherish it like gold,' because it may never happen again. How right she is and what great advice for all of us as this season winds down and our expectations ramp up.
When I heard the news that the Canes had lost, I flashed back to a post of hers from the beginning of the season, and a picture of her with the Cup that left me speechless, jealous and sad, consecutively and concurrently...
...Cheers, AQ and thanks for a memory that can't be taken from me.
Ta,
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-04-2007 @ 1:33AM
The Acid Queen said...
Thanks for the glove-tap, Tom. I threw some more thoughts up there on the ol' blog--kind of an expansion on what I e-mailed you earlier.
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4-04-2007 @ 6:31AM
Brad M. said...
What kind of a world are we living in when the Sabres win a division title? I believe Bill Murray said it best when he said, "Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!"
Seriously, as a lifelong Sabres fan, I am very happy about this. It's good to know that we'll have any potential Game Sevens in the first three rounds in our building. I just pray it doesn't come to that, since we SUCK in Game Sevens.
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4-04-2007 @ 3:12PM
Dani said...
All I have to say about Carolina being eliminated is Ha! Apparently when teams are completely healthy the 'Canes can't compete. It would have been sweet revenge for the Sabres to play them (and knock them out) in the first round but this is even sweeter!
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4-04-2007 @ 3:27PM
Tom Luongo said...
Dani,
Remember this... "We ain't won anything yet." My motto is (and I don't always live up to it certainly) ... Win with dignity, lose with grace.
The Canes made a number of mistakes this year in terms of personnel and, I think, that cost them more than they thought it would. It's happened and it's over. Am I glad they're out of it? Of course, I don't like the Canes at all, but I'm not going to gloat over it.
Ta,
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4-29-2007 @ 11:53PM
aaron said...
it's pretty late for me to post here i guess but...i was so excited when hockey came to north carolina. i made my wife go with me to greensboro to watch the canes play and they didnt do a whole lot for a few years and hey man...that was ok with me. i'd say not even half full dome...for fans, noone really knew the rules by percentage. i never expected anything from them, i just really dug hockey from living in NY and hell i was an islanders fan....is that enuff said for expectations?
then they moved to raleigh and started being contenders...man it's the first team i ever rooted for a team in the nhl that really, really has a shot! i mean the team down the highway i root for does stuff!!
this year the woman i used to pack in the car like it or not, bought season tickets....i was there for every single home shut out except 1. i was there for dumb ass choices that led to blow outs. i was there for everything man....i have never been disappointed in my team before, islanders or otherwise....we didnt make the play offs this year, not because we didnt have the talent, i didnt see us wanting it.
getting down a goal or 2..i watched my team skate around like pouting kindergardners, poor hitting, forecheck sporadic and then scoring 5 goals in 1 period...what the hell? no my team when it was ON, was unbeatable this year no matter who you were, but settled for off and cruise control MOST of the time AS A UNIT....not interested in personal stories i'm talking TEAM here...
i don't mind the losing....just LOOK like you are trying please....everyone else? well good luck this post season....my old islanders are out already....they looked like they really tried though! oh well :)
----Aaron
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