The puck drops for the Hurricanes and Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. Thursday. By 8 p.m. Sunday evening the team may be well-positioned for a playoff push the remainder of the season or they could find themselves battling uphill.
The next three games will likely set the tone for the 72 games that follow. If the team earns 5 or 6 points, they will prove to the league, and more importantly themselves, that they have the talent and chemistry to take on the best throughout the season.
After the past two games, fans are questioning whether the team has the composure and offensive firepower to compete with the league’s best.