The Carolina Hurricanes are embarking on a pivotal four-game road trip against some of the best teams in the Eastern Conference...but begin with a game against a team that would be an also-ran if the playoffs started today in the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
For the first time in a long time, the Canes enter play tonight in a playoff spot. With 43 games remaining, that certainly doesn’t carry much weight, but it is important to note simply because of the position they found themselves in less than a month ago.