The life of a bubble team...

This team just can't make up it's mind, can it?

Last post I was talking about how crappy the Canes were looking, and how I didn't really think that the playoffs were possible. Right now they're ONE POINT behind the Rangers who are in eighth, and two behind Buffalo, all three teams with four games left to play. And OBTW, the Canes play Buffalo tomorrow.

And, they actually seem to be playing pretty well. I was able to watch part of the Washington game this Tuesday and the Canes definitely had a bit more pep in their skate than they had previously. Not to mention - they've gone 6-1 in their past seven games.

The question, of course being, is this a case of too little too late? It's nice, I suppose, that the Hurricanes aren't giving up on their season and sitting back - but I can't help that feel that play like this would have helped had they started it a week or two earlier. The chance is still there for a playoff spot, but the fact still remains that the Canes are on the outside looking in and have to both play amazingly and get help from some of the other teams. (Check out Sports Club Stats for a nice breakdown of the percentages.)

Obviously the game tomorrow against Buffalo is key. All of the remaining games are must-wins, but it would seem that the Sabres game is the must-win of the must-wins. If they can't win this one, well, they probably don't deserve to be in the playoffs anyways - a playoff team needs to be able to deliver under pressure, after all.

Is it too much to ask to not be on the bubble one year? Like, just decide that you're going to tank or win at the beginning of the season and stick with it. This is far too much uncertainty at the end of the season for my liking.

Season ends in four games... at the end of this week we'll see if the Canes are going to play more games than that.

(By the way, check out Erik cole's statline from the past seven games below. Dude is en fuego. Much to this Caniac's delight, of course.)

Erik Cole stats (18th): 1 goal
(22nd): 1 assist
(25th): 2 goals
(26th): 1 goal
(30th): 1 assist
(1st): 1 goal
On the season: 24 goals, 26 assists

Chad LaRose stats (22nd): 2 goals
On the season: 15 goals, 13 assists