While finding their groove in late December, and even finding themselves in a playoff spot rather early in the season, the Carolina Hurricanes have now solidified their last place positioning in the Metropolitan Division. While the Metro is even tighter this season than it was last, the Canes had their chances to get into the thick of the playoff race. Those chances were not converted.
Now, the only contest left before the 2018 NHL All-Star Break is a Jan. 25 meeting with the Montreal Canadiens. The last outing resulted in a 3-1 loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins, at PPG Paints Arena.