Playoff Drive Schedule Comparison
If the truth be told, it's a distant hope. The Falcons are four points out of the playoff picture with four games to play. Then, there's the matter of leap frogging the 9th and 10th place teams. Here's a look at the standings:
AHL EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS (as of 4/5/12):
| Pos. | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | PTS | GF | GA |
| 1. | Norfolk Admirals (TB) | 71 | 50 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 103 | 254 | 173 |
| 2. | St. John's IceCaps (WPG) | 71 | 41 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 90 | 227 | 199 |
| 3. | Bridgeport Sound Tigers (NYI) | 71 | 38 | 24 | 3 | 6 | 85 | 219 | 208 |
| 4. | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 71 | 41 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 89 | 222 | 205 |
| 5. | Hershey Bears (WSH) | 70 | 38 | 21 | 4 | 7 | 87 | 233 | 203 |
| 6. | Connecticut Whale (NYR) | 70 | 34 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 80 | 201 | 195 |
| 7. | Syracuse Crunch (ANA) | 71 | 34 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 78 | 229 | 222 |
| 8. | Manchester Monarchs (LA) | 71 | 36 | 31 | 1 | 3 | 76 | 191 | 195 |
| 9. | Portland Pirates (PHX) | 72 | 33 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 75 | 208 | 242 |
| 10. | Adirondack Phantoms (PHI) | 70 | 34 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 187 | 198 |
| 11. | Springfield Falcons (CBJ) | 72 | 33 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 72 | 201 | 221 |
| 12. | Albany Devils (NJD) | 71 | 30 | 30 | 6 | 5 | 71 | 179 | 209 |
| 13. | Providence Bruins (BOS) | 71 | 32 | 32 | 3 | 4 | 74 | 180 | 202 |
| 14. | Worcester Sharks (SJ) | 70 | 29 | 30 | 4 | 7 | 69 | 185 | 201 |
| 15. | Binghamton Senators (OTT) | 72 | 28 | 38 | 4 | 2 | 62 | 194 | 232 |
Following the games, I list a "Misery Factor". Think "degree of difficulty"...it's not a hard stat, but a blend of home/road and opponent. The higher the number, the greater the challenge. Projected points, just my opinion on what is likely to happen. So here are the remaining schedules from sixth place on down:
Connecticut - six games to go
April 6 - vs. Manchester
April 7 - at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
April 8 - at Hershey
April 11 - at Portland
April 13 - vs. Manchester
April 14 - at Syracuse
Misery Factor - 8
Probable Points - 5
Projected Total - 85 (IN)
Syracuse - five games to go
April 6 - at Bridgeport
April 7 - at Hershey
April 13 - at Rochester
April 14 - vs. Connecticut
April 15 - at Albany
Misery Factor - 6
Probable Points - 6
Projected Total - 84 (IN)
Manchester - five games to go
April 6 - at Connecticut
April 10 - at Worcester
April 13 - at Connecticut
April 14 - vs. Hershey
April 15 - vs. St. John's
Misery Factor - 6
Probable Points - 5
Projected Total - 81
Portland - four games to go
April 7 - vs. Worcester
April 11 - vs. Connecticut
April 13 - vs. Hershey
April 15 - at Providence
Misery Factor - 4
Probable Points - 6
Projected Total - 81
Adirondack - six games to go
April 6 - vs. Albany
April 7 - at Albany
April 8 - vs. Rochester
April 13 - at Springfield
April 14 - vs. Worcester
April 15 - vs. Norfolk
Misery Factor - 4
Probable Points - 7
Projected Total - 79
Springfield - four games to go
April 7 - at St. John's
April 8 - at St. John's
April 13 - vs. Adirondack
April 14 - vs. St. John's
Misery Factor - 8
Probable Points - 4
Projected Total - 76 (out)
Albany - five games to go
April 6 - at Adirondack
April 7 - vs. Adirondack
April 13 - vs. Norfolk
April 14 - vs. Providence
April 15 - vs. Syracuse
Misery Factor - 6
Probable Points - 4
Projected Total - 75 (out)
Providence - five games to go
April 6 - vs. Worcester
April 7 - at Bridgeport
April 13 - vs. Bridgeport
April 14 - at Albany
April 15 - vs. Portland
Misery Factor - 7
Probable Points - 3
Projected Total - 74 (out)
Worcester - six games to go
April 6 - at Providence
April 7 - at Portland
April 10 - vs. Manchester
April 13 - vs. St. John's
April 14 - at Adirondack
April 15 - vs. Hershey
Misery Factor - 5
Probable Points - 9
Projected Total - 78 (out)
If my hazy crystal ball is right, I'm looking at places 6 - 14 like this when all is said and done:
6. Connecticut
7. Syracuse
8. Manchester (more wins)
9. Portland
10. Adirondack
11. Worcester
12. Springfield
13. Albany
14. Providence
The good thing, is the games are played on the ice and not by throwing a bunch of stats together and making broad based assumptions. However, the reality is this: Springfield NEEDS all eight points in their final four games. Nothing less will do.