Hoping for Hotlanta

It has come to this. We're scoreboard watchers tonight with a limited menu. Just one game for us to focus on.

Atlanta at Florida - 7pm.

(And by the way - Atlanta and Florida? This is a hockey game? What is it, 75 degrees in both cities right now?)

The Florida Panthers (and I keep thinking of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers when I write this) have a game at hand and trail the Rangers by 2 points for the 8th and final playoff spot in the East. They have won three straight games since benching their starting goaltender (Tomas Vokoun) and inserting the veteran Craig Anderson between the pipes.

They are home to the Atlanta Thrashers, who are enjoying their spoiler role and have a neat little 3 game win streak of their own right now.

So the entire editorial staff here at Blueshirt Brothers does hereby invoke the Hockey Gods with the Magic Rat (our lucky Jean Ratelle card) to inspire Atlanta to defeat Florida tonight and keep them safely in our rear view. Join in people - reach out at touch the card on your screen for luck.

Looking forward - our own schedule is brutal - 4 games. The Bruins - the Canadians - then home and home with Philly. Run the table and we're (probably) in. Lose and we're at the mercy of Florida and Montreal.

So, for Saturday - Win, fellas. Tomorrow Hank has to put his shoulder back together and the Rangers have to skate on up to Boss-town and play their hearts out. Do this and beat the Bruins and we’ll put a little distance between us and the Line-O-Death, get some momentum for our death-match with Montreal next week, and throw a scare into a Bruin team that could be our first round opponent when this all shakes out.