Prediction time
Published 10:07 am Monday, March 10, 2008
Well, that was an intriguing weekend, and Everett remains right in the hunt for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Tips technically find themselves in the same position as they did a week ago: four points behind fourth-place Seattle. However, Everett’s position is substantially better because the Tips went from having played one more game than Seattle to having played one fewer. Meanwhile, sixth-place Kelowna crept within one point of the Tips, though the Rockets have also played one more game than Everett.
Over the weekend Everett stayed to the script, beating last place Portland (barely) before losing in Vancouver. Seattle, on the other hand, decided to improvise. When the T-birds won at Vancouver on Friday it appeared the Tips were in big trouble. However, a stunning loss at Portland — ending the Winter Hawks’ 22-game losing streak — followed by a home loss Sunday against Spokane counteracted the victory at Vancouver. And Kelowna, despite limping to the finish line, has somehow dragged itself back into contention, at least for fifth.
Here’s what remains for each of the three teams (home games in caps):
Seattle
Fri. at Everett
Sat. PORTLAND
Sun. EVERETT
Everett
Wed. TRI-CITY
Fri. SEATTLE
Sat. at Chilliwack
Sun. at Seattle
Kelowna
Wed. CHILLIWACK
Fri. at Tri-City
Sat. PRINCE GEORGE
OK, prediction time. I want to know what everyone thinks is going to happen this week and where each of Everett, Seattle and Kelowna is going to wind up in the standings.
I’ll get the ball rolling. I predict the Tips will finish 2-2 this week. I predict Everett will go into the season finale with a chance of finishing fourth, but the combination of playing a fourth game in five nights, plus the curse of KeyArena, will mean the Tips will fall just short. I predict Kelowna will finish the week 2-1, thus ending up one point behind Everett. Therefore, I predict it will finish Seattle, Everett, Kelowna, meaning the T-birds will earn home ice, and I-5 rivals Everett and Seattle will meet in the playoffs for the first time ever.
So, what do you think?
