The Carolina Hurricanes arrived in frigid Pittsburgh in an unfamiliar spot: a playoff spot. And while it is certainly far too early to fixate on positioning, the pending four-game road trip to Pittsburgh, Boston, Washington, and Tampa (recently the class of the the Eastern Conference) has the feeling of a telling challenge.
In their first test, the Canes passed with flying colors. A comprehensive 4-0 demolition of the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champs will most certainly raise some eyebrows around the league, as Carolina steadies itself for the most important second half of the schedule in recent memory.