Leadership has gotten the Carolina Hurricanes to this point, and it was the Canes’ leaders who got them one step closer to the Stanley Cup playoffs on Tuesday night.
Dougie Hamilton scored twice, and Justin Williams and Jordan Staal each chipped in with a goal apiece as the Hurricanes took a crucial 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the season series and, more importantly, reducing their magic number for playoff qualification to four.
In the first period, the Hurricanes began with a conservative approach, making sure to monitor their play in all three zones.