The NHL is starting to resemble the NFL in that any team can beat any other team on a given night.
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Right now, the Ottawa Senators – with a great mix of talent, goaltending and muscle, plus the return of Brady Tkachuk – appear to be the Canadian team with the best chance of making the playoffs.
The Maple Leafs rebounded with two big road wins in Florida, getting great goaltending from Joseph Woll and much-needed secondary scoring while the Canadiens played poorly in a mid-week loss to Ottawa, noticeably struggling in their own end. Defending in their own end of the rink may be Montreal’s Achilles heel.
I watched the Detroit Red Wings last week, and they have lots of offence. But, as has been the case with Steve Yzerman’s Motor City club for the past decade, the Wings get pushed around.
What they need back on the blue-line, or even up front, is a player that’s nasty like ex-Charlottetown junior and senior standout Mike Kennedy. Heading into the playoffs with talent and no grit is a sure recipe for an early exit.
On the local front, the Charlottetown Islanders posted an impressive 8-2 win in Saint John on Nov. 28 and will need to be just as sharp this weekend in a pair of games against Gord Dwyer’s Newfoundland Regiment in St. John’s.
As for hockey’s UPEI Panthers, losing to sad-sack Dalhouise in Halifax last week may come back to haunt them when it comes to the playoffs and seeding.
The NFL heads into Week 14 and after last week’s surprising finishes and upsets, the Sports Profit will have to dust off his crystal ball.
I never like betting on the Miami Dolphins coming north in December – they never do well. This week, the Fish travel to frigid New York to meet the Jets and they’re favoured. Play the Jets to win by at least a TD.
The red-hot Houston Texans, a dome team that plays under ideal conditions, travel to ice-cold Kansas City. Expect a wind chill at Arrowhead of -30 C. I believe Houston is the better club, but I’m going against my head and playing a hunch – it’s a must-win game for the Chiefs, the cold and Patrick Mahomes tip the scales for the Chiefs.
The first-place Chicago Bears, the surprise of the NFC, travel to Green Bay to play a team that I regard as the best overall in the NFL. Everything is clicking for the Packers. The Bears have two top running backs, and QB Caleb Williams is exceeding first-round pick expectations. A nail-biter but Green Bay wins.
The Philadelphia Eagles have not lived up to expectations – yet. This week, they travel to L.A. to tackle the Chargers. This is just the matchup the Eagles should like – a team with a mediocre defence and against a star-but-injured quarterback in Justin Herbert. Eagles by at least a TD
Montague’s Austin Sorrie drove great in an international race on the Vincennes track in Paris on Nov. 28, coming from last in the 14-horse field at the half to finish a fast-closing fourth, beaten by less than two lengths. Congratulations to Austin.
Charlottetown trainer Bo Ford continues to hold a hot hand at Mohawk Raceway, sending out Dusty Lane Levi (James MacDonald) to a new race-win record of 1:53.1, home in 27.4 for the ownership group of Matt and David Burke and as well as handicap specialist Joey Burke and Gord Ford. The horse looked like a winner last week until a stopping horse hooked his wheel, according to Randy Waples, and finished off the board. Love to see Bo doing great.
After a solid outing, Woodmere Flojo drew Post 8 and now Post 10 this weekend at Mohawk, but will need racing luck from out there.
Veteran top-class horse Roll Em was parked the entire way and battling near the front for almost the entire journey finishing last at Mohawk.
Also at Mohawk, Mr Bluebird, co-owned by Brudenell’s John Collings, was a close fourth in 1:53.1 in the $40,000 open trot, won by James MacDonald’s Hasty Bid on Nov. 30. The Bluebird has the rail this week in a six-horse shortened field, but also includes Elitlop starter Logan Park, Hasty Bid and four other tough ones
Micki Shan N drew the outside in the second leg of the $50,000 MGM Series but finished last on Dec. 1 at Yonkers Raceway.
Jody Jamieson, who sponsors one of the awards at a miniature horse racing annual banquet in Pownal in January, has renamed one of the awards after his buddy Urban (Rabs) MacDonald. More on this in next week’s Atlantic Post Calls.
Racing continues in Charlottetown on Dec. 6 at 12:30 p.m., with a 14-dash card. The featured events are two divisions of the Joe and Steven MacRae Memorial for $7,000.
Fred MacDonald’s column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at fiddlersfacts@hotmail.com.
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