Gameday: Flyers at Rangers 12:30pm

Flyers 29-25(9)
Rangers 30-26(6)

If the Rangers want home advantage in the first round of the playoffs, they need a win, in regulation, today. Of course priority these days is to simply make the playoffs, with the way the team is struggling and everyone hot on the trail behind them. The team is in a virtual three way tie with the Canadiens and Panthers for 5th and Buffalo only a game behind them. There is a little separation from the non-playoff teams, with Carolina about two games behind the Sabres for the 8th spot.

Games behind you say? Isn't that for baseball? Look, you've already heard me complain about teams and broadcasters celebrating a certain position in the standings even if they are up a point on a team that has three games in hand on them. Games behind give you a more accurate picture, plus if I mention points behind you might confuse what I'm saying with the actual NHL standings. You're probably confused already. I could give you the points behind based on percentage for a specific number of games played, but you could see that on the right side. Look, just know that two games behind mean the team that is trailing would tie the team ahead if they won two games and the team ahead lost two games.

Back to the Phillies- I mean, the Flyers. Five of the remaining 26 games are against them. Hopefully Tom Renny will not play for shootout late third period in any of these games if they are tied. There's no sense in giving someone so close in the standings any extra points. Go for the win.

-Sean Avery was back on the ice yesterday, playing for the Wolfpack on assignment for Dallas. Why does everyone think it's such a given the Rangers will get him once he's placed on re-entry waivers? There's another team who lost against yesterday and could use a little grit, a shakeup, and just happen to be lower in the standings. The Penguins.