LCS Game of the Week

vs.

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
Hartford Whalers at Ottawa Senators, Wednesday, April 9
By Brian Wishnow, Prognosticator Guy

This week we feature the fifth and final meeting of this season between two Northeast Division rivals fighting for the final two Eastern Conference playoff positions, the Hartford Whalers and the Ottawa Senators, as the LCS: Guide to Hockey Game of the Week.
The Hartford Whalers were sailing a steady course, until a jaunting announcement came down that the team would be relocating following this season. However, they don't seem to be playing like they are fighting for a playoff spot, going 2-7-1 in their last 10 contests. The Whale have five more regular season games left, against Montreal, Buffalo, Ottawa, N.Y. Islanders, and Tampa Bay, before they become extinct and move to destination unknown.
The Ottawa Senators did not disappoint last week, as they pulled out the victory over Washington as promised by your prognosticator. Expect the Senator train to keep rolling as they have been lately. Ron Tugnutt pitched consecutive shutouts in consecutive nights againt Buffalo (2-0) and Washington (4-0). Jacques Martin's club is now 6-1-1 in its last eight games. Ottawa has five more regular season games left: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Hartford, Detroit and Buffalo.
Through games played on April 4, the fight for the final two playoff positions in the Eastern Conference was intense as ever. Montreal and Ottawa held the 7 and 8 seeds, with four teams, including the Whale, close on their heels:
Team           GP    W    L    T  Pts    GF   GA    Home       Road
Montreal       77   29   34   14   72   238  264  16-16-6   13-18-8
Ottawa         77   28   34   15   71   214  221  14-17-8   14-17-7
Hartford       77   29   37   11   69   208  241  21-15-3    8-22-8
Washington     78   30   40    8   68   194  221  17-17-4   13-23-4   
NY Islanders   77   28   37   12   68   228  232  18-16-4   10-21-8
Tampa Bay      77   29   39    9   67   203  236  14-18-7   15-21-2
The Whalers and Senators have contested 25 games prior to our featured game. Hartford holds a wide margin over Ottawa, as most teams do, having gone 19-3-3 against the Senators.
Hartford and Ottawa met for the first time this season on 11/23/96 at the Corel Centre in Kanata, Maryland. Geoff Sanderson and Daniel Alfredsson each scored two goals, as the teams played to a 3-3 draw.
The teams met for the second time of the season on 12/28/96 at the Civic Center in the Mall in Hartford. Steven Rice and Alexandre Daigle each netted two goals and Hartford was able to pull out a 3-2 victory.
The Whale and Sens faced off next on 2/15/97, back at the Mall for the first of a home-and-home series. Keith Primeau scored both of Hartford's goals, as Sean Burke stopped 26 of 27 Ottawa shots for a 2-1 Hartford victory.
The teams faced off the very next night back in Ottawa, again with Sean Burke and Damian Rhodes in between the pipes. This time, Rhodes stopped 25 of 27 Whale shots en route to Ottawa's 4-2 win.
Last season, the Whale and Senators met five times, with Hartford holding a 3-1-1 mark in the games. The dates and results: 11/2/95 - Ottawa 5, HARTFORD 0; 11/4/95 - Hartford 5, OTTAWA 4; 11/15/95 - HARTFORD 3, Ottawa 2; 1/5/96 - HARTFORD 4, Ottawa 2; 3/22/96 - OTTAWA 1, Hartford 1 (OT).

Game Prediction

Prognosticator says: Ottawa 4, Hartford 2
Ottawa will defeat Hartford, and make their bid for a first ever playoff appearance even closer to reality. Ottawa so far has almost exactly the same record at home as on the road this year, while the same cannot be said for Hartford. While they post an impressive 21-15-3 record at home, away from the friendly confines of the mall the Whale drop to a weak 8-22-8. Plus, the Whale have the added distraction regarding the recent announcement that the team will relocate following this season. It is not simple to finish the last few games knowing you won't be playing in the same arena next year, not to mention not knowing at all where the team will be next season. Ottawa, on the other hand, has made tremendous improvements this season, and won't let this opportunity for a playoff appearance slip by the wayside.

Record So Far...

Last week your prognosticator predicted an Ottawa victory over Washington by a 4-1 count. Ottawa and Ron Tugnutt went on to shutout the Capitals, earning a 4-0 victory. With the victory, your prognosticator's record on the season now stands at 18-10-4.

Other Quality Games This Week

Chicago at Calgary, Sunday, April 6: First of two between these two this week.
NY Islanders at Montreal, Monday, April 7: First of back-to-back games in the playoff stretch.
Montreal at NY Islanders, Wednesday, April 9: These guys don't want to lose twice to the same team at this point in the season.
St. Louis at Chicago, Wednesday, April 9: Right now, both of these teams stand in the playoffs. But should one of these two lose, Calgary will be more than willing to beat them into the playoffs.
Montreal at Washington, Thursday, April 10: Montreal is fighting to remain in the playoffs, while Washington is in pure shambles.
Hartford at NY Islanders, Friday, April 11: Two young teams, one headed out of town next year, the other maybe to the playoffs.
Calgary at Chicago, Friday, April 11: Second of two, if one team loses both, they likely won't make the playoffs.
NY Islanders at Washington, Saturday, April 12: Surging Islanders look to sneak into playoffs, while the Capitals will do anything for a win.
Tampa Bay at Hartford, Sunday, April 13: Not only possibly a vital game to who makes the playoffs, but in all probability this is the last regular season game the Hartford Whalers will ever play.