Eighth Times The Charm?: Hurricanes Once Again Punch Ticket Back To Postseason
The Hurricanes secure their eighth straight playoff berth. With a potent offense and deep roster, they aim for ultimate glory this year.
With a 5-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night, the Carolina Hurricanes have clinched an eighth consecutive trip to the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hurricanes currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with just seven games remaining on their schedule, and are also even close to clinching the Metropolitan Division too. Carolina secures eighth straight postseason bid Even despite a plethora of injuries early in the season, the Canes just never got derailed and now sit ready to go for the final race.
"It's a huge accomplishment and the guys should be proud of it," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour. "I wish they could feel better about it. I remember the days when we made the playoffs and how exciting it was.
Like, it was so amazing. Now, it's just kind of an afterthought. That's because we raised the expectations around here.
" The Canes have been one of the most successful teams in the league over the span of their consecutive postseason berths, with the third most regular season wins and sixth most playoff wins, but they're still looking for the ultimate prize. Carolina has yet to return to the Stanley Cup Final since winning it all in 2006, fizzling out in three Eastern Conference Final appearances over their eight-year span. However, they're hoping that this year will be different.