Hot or Not?

Looking at the games last night its easy to see who's rolling and who's toiling. At midseason, there's always the opportunity for redemption and to get your shit together, or for things to fall apart and bust at the seams. Based on the games last night let's check out who's hot and who's not.

Chicago 5 vs. Boston 2

• Boston gave up a two-goal lead, and looked lost after that with no offensive spark. Is that due to the injury (?) to Savard? Is that going to be one of those injuries that looks like nothing and turns out to be a broken leg that puts him out for months?
• Thomas got yanked after allowing four. I know he's an unorthodox goalie, but he's no Hasek, and his flopping is starting to look like a fish out of water that's about to get stepped on.
• Miro Satan scored in his first game as a Bruin, that could be the start and end of hot streak for him.
• Keith with two goals on wise shot selections from the point, a slapper from the point that was ripped, and a nice flutter for the second.
• Kane is on a nine-game point streak.

Chicago is hot, Boston is not. Chicago will definetely make the post, Boston probably will too.

Ottawa 2 vs. Washington 5

• Leclaire's good year in Columbus was a total fluke, he's a flunkie.
• Cheechoo has his fourth goal this season, he's on pace for eight. That's four less than last season.
• Backstrom is still growing into the game, that is fucking scary.
• I think you could power a small city with the amount of electricity that Ovechkin creates when he has the puck.

Washington is hot, Ottawa is not. Washington's a sure bet, Ottawa not so much.

NY Rangers 1 vs. Atlanta 2 (SO)

• Hot and cold, that's how the Rangers run. After that breakout game against Dallas, they follow it up with a stinker in Atlanta. I don't know how they're in the seventh spot in the Conference.
• I don't think it could get any emptier in Atlanta. If Kovalchuk leaves, is there any reason to keep the franchise there? If Kovalchuk takes $10mil/yr. or some other ridiculous number, is there any reason to keep the franchise there? You can thank Waddell for that little scenario.

NY Rangers are lukewarm, Atlanta is not. The Rangers will probably make the post, just because the lower half of the East sucks, including Atlanta.

Florida 0 vs. Montreal 2

• Halak is either giving Gainey fits, or making him very happy. Since Allen Walsh's tweeting, Halak has pushed Price to be better, and Price has been.
• Florida is missing David Booth, and any type of consistency.

Montreal is hot, Florida is not. Montreal has a good shot, Florida has just about blown it.

Philadelphia 7 vs. Pittsburgh 4

• What a shootout, and Philly actually had 8. That no goal call was bullshit. Richard's look back to the referee was priceless when he was getting an explanation.
• Despite the call, Gagne has looked solid since returning with an assist in each of the last three games, not to mention the four point night he had his first game back with a hat trick.
• vanRiemsdyk had two "breakaways" and finished with the exact same move, backhand through the five hole on Fleury and Johnson.
• Crosby absolutely blasted that rebound past Leighton, he had no chance. Letang made a great move at the point to get that shot off.
• This was definetely a Peter Laviolette-type game the Flyers played, lots of speed on the forecheck, more wide open, the score is the result. Its finally starting to come together.

As of right now, Philly is hot, and Pittsburgh is not. I think Philly starts to surge here and moves up the standings, the Pens would need a dramatic fall from grace to miss out.

Carolina 2 vs. Nashville 4

• Nashville is second in the Central, 10 behind Chicago, 5 ahead of Detroit. They just keep pluggin' away.
• Carolina has 11 wins on the season. Eleven. That's four less than Toronto, the second worst. Nothing is working.

Nashville is warm, Carolina is frigid. Nashville looks like they've got what it takes to make it to the dance, Carolina has got what it takes to get a good pick in the lottery.

Columbus 4 vs. Edmonton 2

• Columbus breaks their four game winless streak by beating an even weaker opponent.
• Where is Steve Mason? Steve not Chris.
• Rumors swirl after Andy Murray was shown the door in St. Louis, that Hitchcock is next. Hitchcock is a good coach, but his style is not meshing with the type of hockey that needs to be played in Columbus. That is, exciting hockey.
• Edmonton is lost, another rumor floating out there is Biron to Edmonton. Why?

Both Columbus and Edmonton are not hot. Columbus is not to far away from filling my prophecy of missing the post, Edmonton never had a chance.

Phoenix 0 vs. Vancouver 4

• Burrows has his second hat trick in as many games. None of them were empty-netters or Power Play goals, one was shorthanded.
• Luongo gets his third shutout of the year, and sits in 5th with 23 wins.
• Vancouver is starting to come together, is it at the right time, or is it a little too early.
• Phoenix is playing well sitting in fourth in the Conference, just not in this game.

Vancouver is hot, Phoenix has cooled a little. Both teams make it to the dance this year, which is huge for Phoenix.

St. Louis 2 vs. Anaheim 4

• 'So Andy Murray wasn't the reason we were losing? Oh shit.'
• 2003 Calder winner Barrett Jackman with a two goal night, one a shorty.
• Bobby Ryan scores a goal, his first since a two goal night back on December 29th.
• Jonas Hiller teetered on going .500 for the year, but got the win instead of going 13-13. 10th in the League in losses, not good in your contract year.

Neither team is hot, St. Louis is colder. Right now, neither of these teams are getting in.

Detroit 2 vs. Los Angeles 1

• Jimmy Howard stopped 51 to get the win. Some ridiculous saves, but he got some bail out help as well. The Kings took 27 shots in the second, and didn't score until the third on a Power Play to tie it at 1-1.
• Darren Helm with a great individual effort to get the game winner with 18 seconds left to play, you gotta watch the whole play (1:13). Detroit dumps it in from outside the blue line, Quick goes to play it but it doesn't make it to the trapezoid, so he tries to box out Helm who's forechecking hard to the puck. Detroit gets control, and Helm's mucking in the corner, gets knocked down by O'Donnell who allows him to get up and take it strong to the net. Awesome goal.
• I don't know who's to blame on that one. Quick shouldn't have allowed it, but O'Donnell got blown by going to the net. I think O.D.'s days are numbered.
• Ryan Smyth finally fits on a team again. Don't cry.

Detroit is starting to roll, they're hot, Kings are lukewarm. They need to pick it up if they want to make the post, I have no doubt Detroit will get in.