WEEK 22 (thru Monday)

Catching the Bluliners is one thing but passing them is an entirely different story, team captain John Tavares (1g, 1a) answering the call on Monday, the Bluliners and their 10.0 point performance now 5.0 points better than the second place Bobs.

Bluliners: 10.0
Wild Ducks: 12.0
If the Wild Ducks win they're guaranteed a spot in the postseason. If they lose, the Ice Hogs must also lose. The Ducks are currently a second tiebreaker better than the Hogs. The Bluliners have qualified for postseason play but a win would come in handy as they attempt to claim a higher seed and the Probert division title.

Boulder Flyers: 3.0
Badger Bob: 5.0
Other than bragging rights, this Week 22 match is meaningless to both teams. Badger Bob has already secured the Grimson division title and a first round playoff bye; the Boulder Flyers have already been dispatched to the FHL golf course.

Polar Bears: 3.0
Mooses: 6.2­
As owner of the first tiebreaker against the Wild Ducks - having defeated the Ducks in Weeks 9 and 20 - the Polar Bears, win or lose, are heading to the playoffs. The Mooses can no longer qualify for the playoffs but they have embraced their role of spoiler, a role they will not cart to the final week of the regular season.

Central Red Army: 7.1
Ice Hogs: 0.0­
The Ice Hogs must win to have any shot at the playoffs. They also need the Wild Ducks to lose. It's that simple. The Central Red Army are playoff bound but the result of this match remains important as it will affect their seeding - three teams beginning play with a record of 12-9.

Misconducts: 0.0
Vegas Vipers: 6.0
The Misconducts have nothing to play for in Week 22, the team having already claimed the Domi division crown and - entering the final week - are in no position to catch or be caught. The Vegas Vipers also have nothing to play for, the team already seated at the FHL clubhouse waiting for the starter to call their name.

Ice Cats: 4.5
SC Cobras: 8.0­
The Ice Cats are playing for the Probert division title and a higher seed in the playoffs. The SC Cobras are focused on the overall picture, trying to shed the Laughing Bag by reeling-in the Vegas Vipers over the final five weeks of the 2017-18 season.

LINK: Standings

Want to shed some additional light on my experience last night, being color commentator to play-by-play from MorganWigge.

As I said, folks, sometimes the fantasy puck bounces your way, sometimes it does not.

I believe Bluliners had the edge in puck luck last night.

Gaudreau with a secondary assist at 19:57 of second period = 1.0

Initially, Gaudreau was not credited with an assist on the goal for Calgary by F Troy Brouwer, which tied the game against the Penguins, 3-3. Trust me on this since I was listening to Penguins' radio over the Internet. The lone assist was D T.J. Brodie. After the intermission, a second assist was added -- Gaudreau.

Duchene with a secondary assist at 19:58 of second period = 1.0

This assist was immediately credited. PP goal by F Mike Hoffman lifted Ottawa into 1-1 tie with Dallas. Primary assist F Stone.

Eberle with PPG and Tavares with primary assist at 18:56 of third period with goaltender pulled = 3.0

A slashing minor to F Liepsic of Vancouver at 18:01 led to PP goal by F Eberle with F Tavares getting primary assist and F Barzal of Boulder Flyers getting secondary assist.

Badger Bob D Nick Leddy is also on that first power play unit for the Islanders. Sadly, he did not factor into this goal. If he had gotten an assist or a goal, would have been a trip into bonus territory since he had an assist earlier in the game.

Pointing this out to show just how thin the margin is.

Liepsic redeemed himself for Vancouver by scoring the game-winning goal in OT. But no way to undo the fantasy damage )-:

# # #

As far as puck luck for Badger Bob last night is concerned, I present the following:

There was no scoring in the third period of Calgary at Pittsburgh.

F Phil Kessel got an assist (primary) for Badger Bob on the game-winning goal for Pittsburgh at 2:36 of OT by D Schultz. = 1.0

And Arizona helped Badger Bob by rallying for the only two goals in the third period to tie Edmonton, 3-3, and send the game into OT.

F Leon Draisaitl got an assist (secondary) for Badger Bob on the game-winning goal for Edmonton at 0:50 of OT by D Klefbom. = 1.0

Puck drop for early games less than six hours away.

Addendum to today's news article:

Upon further review, it is possible for the Polar Bears to miss the playoffs. If the Hogs and Ducks win, and the Bears lose, all three teams would finish with a record of 11-11.

The tiebreakers:
1. H2H record, versus each other.
2. Position in overall standings

Tiebreakers employed:
• The Ducks are a second tiebreaker better than the Hogs
• The Bears are a first tiebreaker better than the Ducks
• The Hogs are a first tiebreaker better than the Bears

With each team holding a single tiebreaker, the second tiebreaker - position in overall standings - would apply to all three teams.

As such, the Polar Bears would not qualify for postseason play.