Eastern Conferece: Craig Anderson Could Make the Difference

Fifteen of the sixteen playoff spots in the NHL have already been decided as the 2007-08 regular season comes down to the final weekend.

The final playoff spot could be determined by a relatively unknown goaltender coming into this season.

That would be 26-year-old Craig Anderson, pretty much a career backup playing for the Florida Panthers.

Anderson, who made headlines in early March with back-to-back 1-0 shutouts while making a total of 93 stops, including a team record 53 at Long Island, was at it again on Friday night.

With the Carolina Hurricanes on the verge of clinching the Southeast Division title—and the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed—Anderson came up big and the Panthers foiled the celebrations.

Incredibly, Anderson, who came in in relief of No. 1 goalie Tomas Vokoun, made 26 saves and Florida snapped an ugly streak in Carolina.

The Panthers had lost 13 straight in Raleigh, North Carolina, home of the Hurricanes, prior to Friday. Another loss would have sewn up the division crown for Carolina.

And yet after Vokoun departed after suffering from back spasms, Anderson--in only his 16th appearance of the season--stepped in to deny the Hurricanes.

And it wasn't as though the Hurricanes didn't try.

Carolina outshot Florida 46-17, didn't take any penalties (compared to nine by the vistors), and still fell short by a score of 4-3 thanks to Anderson.

The Hurricanes, who have no games left, will have to watch as the Washington Capitals take on the same Panthers on Saturday night.

If the Capitals just manage to tie the Panthers after 60 minutes, they would win the division and be awarded the No. 3 seed, irrespective of what happens in the overtime or shootout.

Should Washington lose in regulation, then Carolina will be in the playoffs.

And it could come down to Anderson's goaltending again, versus the Capitals, assuming Vokoun won't be ready to go.

Either way, while Florida isn't going to the playoffs, it is ending the season in spectacular fashion, going 10-3-1 since the beginning of March and trying to give the Hurricanes and Capitals a major scare as the playoffs approach.

Will Anderson be in net against Washington--and if so, finish off the Caps' season?

Meanwhile, while the other 15 teams have clinched playoff spots, there are still a lot to play for in terms of seeding.

The New York Rangers, who have gone an incredible 7-0-0 against the New Jersey Devils so far this season, currently sit fifth in the conference, one point behind the Devils. The two teams battle in New Jersey on Sunday on the last day of the season, and are destined to square off again in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Rangers, at the moment with 96 points, will vault past the Devils with a regulation victory Sunday--and complete the regular season sweep--and claim home-ice advantage in the first round, hoping to avenge a playoff sweep at the hands of New Jersey back in 2005-06.

Out west, should things remain the way they are, the No. 2 seeded San Jose Sharks will take on the No. 7 Calgary Flames in a rematch of their 2003-04 Western Conference Finals, where the Flames knocked off the Sharks to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Calgary, surprisingly, went 3-1-0 against San Jose this season, winning the last three games of the series--all one-goal victories.

Anything less than an appearance in the Cup Finals this year would be a disappointment for San Jose.

Whatever happens, it all shapes to be an interesting final weekend to close out the regular campaign.