With all the fussing over the Canucks’ quality of play recently, it’s easy to forget that they have a 12 point-lead in the Northwest Division. There was essentially no chance that they could lose the division and were essentially guaranteed to have home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Well, you can now remove the word “essentially” from that sentence above and move the whole thing into the present tense. The Canucks have officially clinched the Northwest Division in the most anti-climactic way possible.
The Calgary Flames played the Dallas Stars earlier today. Had they won that game in regulation or overtime then done the same in the rest of their remaining games then, if the Canucks lost all of their remaining games, the Flames could have won the Northwest Division. Yes, it was extremely unlikely, but the possibility was still there.
Instead, the Flames — still in the mix to make the playoffs — put in a clutch performance for the ages, losing 4-1 to the Dallas Stars. Cue the confetti.
If the Colorado Avalanche win all of their remaining games in regulation and overtime, and the Canucks lose all of their remaining games in regulation, the Avalanche could tie the Canucks in points as well as in the first tiebreaker, regulation and overtime wins. The second tiebreaker, however, is the head-to-head record between the two teams and, while the Canucks still have two more games against the Avalanche including the one Saturday night (at the time of this writing, that’s tonight), the Canucks have won all four of their previous meetings.
And so: Congratulations to the Vancouver Canucks, 2011-12 Northwest Division Champions.
Hooray!
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Brent
March 24, 2012Wow and we did it with Daniel being injured! Way to pull together guys!
Harrison Mooney
March 24, 2012Yessir, everyone really stepped up on this one.
Nee
March 24, 2012Hehe…well that was exciting…
natevk
March 24, 2012You’re saying we managed to clinch the division… WITHOUT CODY HODGSON?????
Cody
March 24, 2012No Cody was part of the team during this run. We should be terrified for next season. Every team (including the pass it to bulis team) needs a Cody
Mo
March 25, 2012Glad to see you here then!
canucks in europe
March 25, 2012Did anyone see that spectacular empty net goal CoHo scored last night…we miss that finishing touch around here
Brent
March 25, 2012Nice to see Cody actually getting some points. He had the big goose egg up until the last three games and since then has literally exploded, well not exactly “literally”. Be good if he helped Buffalo get into the playoffs, although I suspect it hinges more on Millers play .
Guess I am just saying that I am sorry it didn’t work out for him here in Vancouver and I wish him luck with the Sabres.
Frank
March 24, 2012Harrison, do you think there is any chance they will rest some bodies in the remaining games with Daniel out? Not including Salo I mean.
Brandon
March 24, 2012I did feel a small tingle in my heart earlier today, thought it was just something I ate.
the real bob
March 24, 2012wait, I heard Minnesota was supposed to challenge us for this….in December.
Good work by the boys, the even bigger surprise was the quality of the comments on the NHL site (save for a few flames trolls).
shoes
March 25, 2012Well…..I beat the Avs and did anyway and yes everbody did step up, although the D was a bit lost at times in their own end. Raymond discovered that going to the net is fun and Higgins discovered filling it is fun. Considering the level the Avs brought to the contest it turned out very well.
shoes
March 25, 2012sorry about the typos, I have an excuse….
shoes
March 25, 2012Hey…..wtf? When young Oliver, leaped up and clocked Tanev in the head, it was pretty obvious as his feet were about 18″ off the ground. What is going on….that is two head shots in 3 games that were more or less ignored? WTF……is that official to ignore headshots now or downplay them…..or what? Brutal……somebody else will get hurt and somebody else will get slapped on the wrist.
NotSoSerious
March 25, 2012Not complaining or anything, just not quite sure I understand. Vancouver secured 99 points last night and have secured the NW Division title, great news and a great game last night. However, when I go to NHL.com it doesn’t confirm though that we’ve secured a playoff spot yet, even though the Penguins and Flyers have and are behind us in the standings. I know we’ll be in the playoffs, but is there some technicality I’m not aware of, why we wouldn’t be showing we clinched a playoff spot too? No biggy at all, just curious….