A sixth-round pick by Buffalo in 1997 – current Sabres GM Darcy Regier’s first season in that capacity – Florida Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell (center above) remains second in league scoring by blueliners with 47 points (3G), trailing Ottawa’s entry-level wonder Erik Karlsson by a mind-numbing 24 (and good luck with that contract re-negotiation Mr. Murray…he’s an RFA in July). “Soup” has collected a somewhat pedestrian 1A & 2 SOG in five games against his former team as a member of the Blackhawks, Sharks, and Panthers. With a 3-point effort Thursday, Campbell’s logged five games with three points or better in 2011-12.
The Eastern Front
|
Rank |
Team |
GP |
W |
L |
OT |
PTS |
GF |
GA |
Home |
Away |
L10 |
Streak |
|
1 |
NY Rangers |
70 |
44 |
19 |
7 |
95 |
194 |
155 |
24-8-2 |
20-11-5 |
5-4-1 |
Lost 1 |
|
2 |
Ottawa |
72 |
37 |
25 |
10 |
84 |
220 |
210 |
19-13-4 |
18-12-6 |
5-3-2 |
Won 1 |
|
3 |
Florida |
70 |
34 |
23 |
13 |
81 |
177 |
195 |
19-9-8 |
15-14-5 |
6-3-1 |
Won 3 |
|
4 |
Pittsburgh |
69 |
43 |
21 |
5 |
91 |
224 |
175 |
24-8-2 |
19-13-3 |
10-0-0 |
Won 10 |
|
5 |
Philadelphia |
70 |
41 |
22 |
7 |
89 |
226 |
199 |
18-10-5 |
23-12-2 |
8-2-0 |
Won 2 |
|
6 |
New Jersey |
71 |
41 |
25 |
5 |
87 |
196 |
182 |
20-12-3 |
21-13-2 |
6-3-1 |
Won 1 |
|
7 |
Boston |
70 |
40 |
27 |
3 |
83 |
225 |
176 |
20-13-2 |
20-14-1 |
3-7-0 |
Lost 4 |
|
8 |
Washington |
71 |
36 |
29 |
6 |
78 |
191 |
200 |
23-10-3 |
13-19-3 |
6-3-1 |
Lost 1 |
|
|
||||||||||||
|
9 |
Winnipeg |
71 |
34 |
29 |
8 |
76 |
189 |
199 |
23-10-4 |
11-19-4 |
5-3-2 |
Won 2 |
|
10 |
Buffalo |
71 |
33 |
29 |
9 |
75 |
178 |
201 |
18-11-8 |
15-18-1 |
6-2-2 |
OT 1 |
|
11 |
Tampa Bay |
70 |
32 |
31 |
7 |
71 |
198 |
237 |
21-12-2 |
11-19-5 |
5-4-1 |
Lost 1 |
|
12 |
Toronto |
71 |
31 |
32 |
8 |
70 |
205 |
218 |
16-13-6 |
15-19-2 |
2-7-1 |
Won 1 |
|
13 |
Carolina |
71 |
27 |
29 |
15 |
69 |
185 |
211 |
18-13-6 |
9-16-9 |
4-3-3 |
Won 1 |
|
14 |
Montreal |
72 |
28 |
32 |
12 |
68 |
189 |
200 |
13-15-8 |
15-17-4 |
4-4-2 |
OT 1 |
|
15 |
NY Islanders |
71 |
28 |
32 |
11 |
67 |
166 |
214 |
15-16-6 |
13-16-5 |
2-5-3 |
Lost 1 |
*
Why last night rocked:
- WPG over WSH, 3-2 (REG): Jets thankfully performed as predicted at home within 60 minutes; five of next eight games on road. Oh, and did we mention the regulation aspect?/
Why last night jonesed:
- OTT over MTL 2-1 (OT): if this is the price we pay for a once-per-lifetime New Years Eve victory against the Habs, well, Ole./
Panthers Playoff Update:
- FLA did not play; playoff odds down 0.4 to 94% per Sports Club Stats /
Why tonight is a Big Deal in SoFla, beyond the obvious:
Focusing on clubs within 5 points of Panthers (81P); teams FLA needs to lose in bold…
- PHI at BOS (83P), 1 p.m.: Broons have lost four straight, Flyers 7-1 in past eight
- TOR at OTT (84P), 7: Sens lead season series 3-2 but outscored by Leafs 17-16/
Next up for the Cats:
- Hosting the Sabres tonight at BAC in the closer of a 4-game homestand; LBC Game Thread asks Eckhardt to think about the future at 7. Need Seats? Tickets starting at $7 via TiqIQ./
Did you know:
- Jose Theodore has an 11-14-2 record (1 SO, .901) vs BUF while Scott Clemmensen is 2-0-1 (.892)
Friday’s Organizational News:
- F Kris Versteeg and D Dmitry Kulikov expected to play tonight
- F Michal Repik scored San Antonio’s only goal while Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 shots in a 3-1 Rampage loss to Abbotsford, but outside of team management, who really cared on Dollar Drink Night?
- Florida prospect G Sam Brittain’s 67 saves in a double overtime victory on Friday were monumental for more than a few reasons as the Denver Pioneers plow ahead
Tonight’s college playoff action on NBC Sports Network
- Hockey East Championship Game: Maine vs Boston College, 8 p.m. (no FLA prospects)/