41.   On Saturday night, the Islanders blew a chance to revive their dying playoff hopes at Maple Leaf Garden.

42.   Playoff hopes will depend on four road games in their last six, including dates at Tampa and Indy.

43.   San Diego is nurturing playoff hopes and will fight hard to win this game.

44.   Significantly, though, the Kings produced plenty of chances against the Canucks, and they scored enough goals to advance their playoff hopes.

45.   So as they readied for a meeting with the Dallas Mavericks Saturday, trying to stop the losing streak and salvage their playoff hopes, panic was setting in.

46.   Sunday, the Giants thrashed the Steelers and all but dashed their playoff hopes.

47.   Surprisingly, the Bengals still have some faint playoff hopes.

48.   That could endanger some playoff hopes.

49.   That just might kill any playoff hopes the Cowboys have this year.

50.   The Breakers tried to deal with the loss, even though it dimmed their playoff hopes.