The Sabres clinch a playoff spot!!

[MikeInRoch]

Buffalo has 98 points, and 46 wins.

Carolina has 78 points, 35 wins, and 10 games to play. Their max is 98 points and 45 wins. Therefore, they cannot catch us.

Toronto and the Rangers each have 77 points, 34 wins, and 11 games to play. They could each get to a max of 99 points, and 45 wins. So they COULD both catch us, EXCEPT...

They play each other one more time. So they can't both make it. One of them only gets to 98 points, and 44 wins - and that team cannot catch us.

Wooooo!!!

[hammerbillsfan]

Damn, I was only 1 day off in :eb:'s pool.

[JD]

Im confused, how cant the Rangers or Toronto get 99 points? What does them playing eachother have to do with anything? One team gets 2 points no matter what so why couldnt they have 99? Not a big deal I know, but I was just curious.

Also its getting pretty late and I am still buzzin so take it for what its worth I guess.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Im confused, how cant the Rangers or Toronto get 99 points? What does them playing eachother have to do with anything? One team gets 2 points no matter what so why couldnt they have 99? Not a big deal I know, but I was just curious.

Also its getting pretty late and I am still buzzin so take it for what its worth I guess.

I agree, either one of those teams can win all their games and get 99 points. As far as I'm concerned, our magic number is still 1.

[MikeInRoch]

Im confused, how cant the Rangers or Toronto get 99 points? What does them playing eachother have to do with anything? One team gets 2 points no matter what so why couldnt they have 99? Not a big deal I know, but I was just curious.

Also its getting pretty late and I am still buzzin so take it for what its worth I guess.

It doesn't matter if one of them gets to 99 - because Carolina (the current 8 seed) cannot catch us. So if one of the Rangers/Toronto passes us, they would be the 7 seed, and we would be 8.

[BlackMetalNinja]

Even going with your theory that since they play each other they can't both get to 99 pts, can't one get to 99 and one get to 98? Is it possible that one of them has a tie breaker over us, so that they'd both get in and we wouldn't?

None of the sports sites has the Sabres having clinched yet, there must be something there still.

[MikeInRoch]

The tie-breaker is number of wins, which (as I said above) we already have over all of them.

[chernobylwraiths]

The tie-breaker is number of wins, which (as I said above) we already have over all of them.

I think you need to speak slower. These are young people that grew up with all that "new" math and can't do anything without a calculator. :;

[BlackMetalNinja]

I think you need to speak slower. These are young people that grew up with all that "new" math and can't do anything without a calculator. :;

Yeah, my calculus class hasn't really paid off... And actually, I do math in my head quicker than most with a calculator. I just wasn't understanding the intricate details and how Carolina couldn't finish ahead of us. I think I get it now. I also didn't understand why if it was the case, none of the sports websites had indicated them as having clinched a spot. Apparantly they're as dumb as me though.

[chernobylwraiths]

Yeah, my calculus class hasn't really paid off... And actually, I do math in my head quicker than most with a calculator. I just wasn't understanding the intricate details and how Carolina couldn't finish ahead of us. I think I get it now. I also didn't understand why if it was the case, none of the sports websites had indicated them as having clinched a spot. Apparantly they're as dumb as me though.

Calculus is overrated unless you are an engineer. So is trig for that matter. It goes with the basic assumption that wins is the first tiebreaker, not head to head record. Apparently, many publications don't care too much for hockey, so they don't put much effort into it. I'll check TSN.ca

[chernobylwraiths]

I'm thinking that they haven't put in the clinched spots for any teams yet and are waiting for a few more days.

[chernobylwraiths]

Looks like we are the first to clinch a playoff spot too!

[SkateZilla]

umm, we didn't clinch yet... we have to win 1 more or both of them lose one more.., to clinch we need to get 1 more point, or NYR/Toronto Lose more, Detroit needs 2 more pts to clinch

[MikeInRoch]

Oh really? Can you post the scenario that has us not in the playoffs?

Are you missing that we cannot finish behind Carolina? Or that one of NYR/Toronto has to lose at least one point because they play each other?

[chernobylwraiths]

umm, we didn't clinch yet... we have to win 1 more or both of them lose one more.., to clinch we need to get 1 more point, or NYR/Toronto Lose more, Detroit needs 2 more pts to clinch

Try and read the thread again. Remember, tiebreakers are first based on wins.

[chernobylwraiths]

Oh really? Can you post the scenario that has us not in the playoffs?

I'm assuming it will have something to do with a plane crashing.

[SkateZilla]

Try and read the thread again. Remember, tiebreakers are first based on wins.

we didnt clinch last nite, we have to get 1 more pt to clinch and NYR/Toronto have to miss a Point (OTL, SOL or Loss)

so Toronto has to Lose Tonite (in 60 or 65 Minutes) and Rangers Have to Do the Same their next game.

Or We Get a a Win or OT/SO Loss Tommarow Nite.

[Ebenezer]

my bad. Toronto and NYR do not play today. The Sabres have not clinched.

[MikeInRoch]

we didnt clinch last nite, we have to get 1 more pt to clinch and NYR/Toronto have to miss a Point (OTL, SOL or Loss)

so Toronto has to Lose Tonite (in 60 or 65 Minutes) and Rangers Have to Do the Same their next game.

Or We Get a a Win or OT/SO Loss Tommarow Nite.

Can you define "clinch" for me?

My definition is "There are zero scenarios where the Sabres do not make the playoffs.". What is yours?

[SkateZilla]

we need 1 more pt to clinch., mathmatically NYR or Toronto Could win out and we could lose out and we'd end up 9th.

like I Said, we need a 1 pts swing to clinch,

Good Scenarios:
a. We Win or Lose in Extra time to Atlanta (1 Pts. Clinch)
b. Toronto Loses in in Regulator Or extra Time, and the Rangers Lose the same way their next game. (Only gets 1 pt. We Clinch)
C. either Toronto lose one more game in OT, and the opposite team wins head to head (NYR vs TOR)

Bad Scenario:
We Lose the rest of our remaining games, and toronto Or the rangers Win the Remainder of their games, they both must capture everypossible point though, and we cant gain any, highly unlikely that will happen at all. but to clinch is to mathmatically eliminate the chances. not to "pretty much garuantee because no team will win/lose out the season"


So We get a Pt, We Clinch.
Tor and NYR Both Miss a Pt, We Clinch.

I know what your saying though, we lose out we tie Carolina, which would have to win out to tie us, and still be 1 win less than us so lose the tie breaker, but NHL said we need a Pt to clinch, and that they dont assume tie breakers on clinches and go by pts.

[MikeInRoch]

And in the "Bad scenario" you describe, we finish behind Toronto or the Rangers, but AHEAD of Carolina, and we finish 8th.

So yes, even then, we make the playoffs.

[SkateZilla]

And in the "Bad scenario" you describe, we finish behind Toronto or the Rangers, but AHEAD of Carolina, and we finish 8th.

So yes, even then, we make the playoffs.

by a tie breaker.. I know.

but we have to mathmatically clinch in pts in order to "Clinch" accordin to the NHL.. blah blah.. its complicated..

[Mitchy moo]

And in the "Bad scenario" you describe, we finish behind Toronto or the Rangers, but AHEAD of Carolina, and we finish 8th.

So yes, even then, we make the playoffs.

My god what will it take:

NYR & Toronto cannot get every point, one team will only get one when they play.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/teams/schedule?team=tor

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[Mitchy moo]

by a tie breaker.. I know.

but we have to mathmatically clinch in pts in order to "Clinch" accordin to the NHL.. blah blah.. its complicated..

There isn't a scenario where we don't clinch, therefore we clinched. It's not that complicated.

[MikeInRoch]

by a tie breaker.. I know.

but we have to mathmatically clinch in pts in order to "Clinch" accordin to the NHL.. blah blah.. its complicated..

So, like I said, we have different definitions of "clinch". My definition is "It is mathematically impossible for the Sabres to miss the playoffs". Yours is "When the NHL says they clinch, it must be true, but not before."

You'll pardon me if I find your definition to be completely rediculous.

[Mitchy moo]

So, like I said, we have different definitions of "clinch". My definition is "It is mathematically impossible for the Sabres to miss the playoffs". Yours is "When the NHL says they clinch, it must be true, but not before."

You'll pardon me if I find your definition to be completely rediculous.

Mike, your right on the money.

[Mitchy moo]

Other people have picked up on this:

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« Thread Started on Yesterday at 9:45pm »</TD><TD vAlign=bottom align=right width="40%" height=20>http://s4.images.proboards.com/buttons/quote.gif (http://sabresfans.proboards66.com/index.cgi?board=Sabres&action=post&thread=1174099558&quote=1174099558&page=1) </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=3><HR class=hr width="100%" SIZE=1><!-- google_ad_section_start -->what a relief.

I figured it out and it is mathematically impossible for the Sabres to miss the playoffs.

buffalo clinched a playoff spot tonight

Follow me here.

Buffalo has 98 points
Carolina is #8 with 78 pts with 10 left. They can win out and Buffalo loses out to tie, but Buffalo will have the tie breaker of wins

Toronto and NYR have 77 pts with 11 left to play for a max of 99. However, the 2 teams play april 1st. One team will lose at least 1 point. that puts that team out. Buffalo will have more wins than each of those teams no matter what.

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[chernobylwraiths]

So, like I said, we have different definitions of "clinch". My definition is "It is mathematically impossible for the Sabres to miss the playoffs". Yours is "When the NHL says they clinch, it must be true, but not before."

You'll pardon me if I find your definition to be completely rediculous.

Well, the NHL says that the hit on Drury was clean, so take that for what it's worth.

[chernobylwraiths]

I emailed the NHL on their website. :D

[JD]

Why was this thread started? We knew we were going to be in the post season..

[Mitchy moo]

Why was this thread started? We knew we were going to be in the post season..

In the NFL it's front page news when a team clinches a playoff spot, in the NHL it's overlooked.

[Mitchy moo]

Sabres Clinch Playoff Berth
Brad Riter - Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 12:02 PM
Elias Sports Bureau has now confirmed what WGR550.com reported last night-- the Sabres can finish no worse than eighth in the Eastern Conference. This officially puts Buffalo into the postseason.

A playoff spot is clinched when no more than 7 teams can pass the Sabres. Right now, 8 teams fit that description. (Carolina can catch up in points but loses on the first tiebreaker, which is "wins.")

Two of the teams still mathematically alive are the Rangers and Leafs, but each has no wiggle room. Each needs to earn all of its available points (coupled with the Sabres losing out) to move past Buffalo. Toronto and New York play against one another on April 1.

Since they can't BOTH earn 2 points in that game, they can't BOTH pass the Sabres. This reduces the number of teams that could conceivably beat out Buffalo to 7, putting the Sabres in the playoffs.
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[Philagape]

Thanks for breaking the news, MikeInRoch! :up:

[RedEyE]

Screw just getting a playoff birth. I want the Sabres to take the division then the conference.

[gr8slayer]

Why does it matter how many points you score? Shouldn't it be how many games you win?

[JD]

Sometimes I just wish it was as simple as the NFL. Wins, Losses, Ties. THE END.

[JD]

get rid of the whole point system...and go by record like the nfl

[Dude]

Why does it matter how many points you score? Shouldn't it be how many games you win?More points = better playoff seed. Unless you don't win your division. In that case, you're screwed.

[Typ0]

get rid of the whole point system...and go by record like the nfl


the points are just a way to summarize the wins losses and ties. essentially the NHL does go by wins losses and ties like the nfl with the exception that a team gets some credit for not losing in regulation.

[gr8slayer]

More points = better playoff seed. Unless you don't win your division. In that case, you're screwed.
That kind of sucks. It should just be wins and losses.