The Carolina Hurricanes enter tonight’s play just two points out of a playoff spot, but with the red-hot Florida Panthers (70 points) sandwiched between the Canes and the Columbus Blue Jackets (71 points) who currently hold the final spot. Complicating matters, the Panthers happen to have three games in hand on both Carolina and Columbus, making them certainly a formidable challenger, if not the favorite to earn the final spot at this juncture.
With his first goal since returning to the lineup on Sunday, Jordan Staal has continued to show that his presence is vital for this team if they are to have any hope of competing down the stretch.