Carolina Hurricanes: Home crowd could boost playoff push

The 2018/19 NHL season is entering the final stretch, following a busy trade deadline yesterday. But how does the schedule look for the Carolina Hurricanes compared to their rivals?

We’re now three-quarters of the way through the season, and the Eastern Conference looks like it has boiled down to five teams fighting for four spots – of which the Carolina Hurricanes are one. Tampa Bay, Boston and Toronto seem assured of the top three spots in the Atlantic Division, while the Islanders appear to be the cream of the crop in the Metropolitan.

Defending Stanley Cup champions Washington, plus Columbus, Montreal, Pittsburgh and our Carolina Hurricanes are locked in a tight battle for the final four Eastern Conference spots, with only five points separating the teams prior to games of Feb. 26.

Here is a look at each team’s remaining schedule, broken down into games against each other, games against tough teams (defined as the top four teams in each conference as of Feb. 25–Calgary, San Jose, Nashville, Winnipeg, Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto and the islanders) and games against bad teams (defined as teams with fewer than 60 points as of Feb. 25). Those teams are Edmonton, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Detroit, Ottawa and New Jersey.

Washington Capitals (35-21-7)

Games remaining: 19 (10 away)

Tough games: 6 (Home-and-home with Islanders, two games at Tampa Bay and one at home against Tampa Bay, home against Winnipeg).

Games against rivals: 4 (at Pittsburgh, home-and-home with Carolina and home game with Montreal)

Games with bad teams: 3 (Ottawa, home-and-home with Devils)

Columbus Blue Jackets (35-23-3)

Games remaining: 21 (11 away)

Tough games: 8 (Home-and-home with Islanders, three games with Boston, home with Winnipeg, road games at Nashville and Calgary.)

Games against rivals: 5 (three games with Pittsburgh, home games with Carolina and Montreal)

Games with bad teams: 4 (at Devils, at Ottawa, home-and-home with Edmonton)

Montreal Canadiens (33-23-7)

Games remaining: 19 (11 away)

Tough games: 6 (at San Jose and Winnipeg, home-and-home with Islanders, home with Tampa Bay and Toronto)

Games against rivals: 4 (Home game with Pittsburgh, road games at Carolina, Columbus and Washington)

Games with bad teams: 2 (home and home with Detroit)

Carolina Hurricanes (33-23-6)

Games remaining: 20 (9 away)

Tough games: 5 (at Boston, Toronto and Nashville and home against Tampa Bay and Winnipeg)

Games against rivals: 5 (at Columbus, home-and-home with Washington and Pittsburgh)

Games with bad teams: 2 (home against Kings and Devils)

Pittsburgh Penguins (32-22-8)

Games remaining: 20 (10 away)

Tough games: 3 (Boston and home-and-home with Nashville)

Games against rivals: 5 (at Columbus, home-and-home with Washington and Pittsburgh)

Games with bad teams: 2 (home-and-home with Detroit)

So what is the upshot of all this? The Carolina Hurricanes are the only team of the five with more home games than road games. That could be HUGE for our boys as they look to end our long playoff drought.

Columbus has the most games against top four teams with eight, so it’s good for them that they bought half the NHL on deadline day. Washington and Montreal each have six, the Canes have five and Pittsburgh only three. Columbus also has the most remaining games against bad teams, with four. Washington has three, and each of the others has two apiece.

Crucially, Columbus and Pittsburgh play each other three times in the next 12 days, beginning tonight. Those three games could end up creating a huge hole for one of those teams. Fans of Washington, Carolina and Montreal should hope none of those games goes to overtime.

Washington has three games remaining with Tampa Bay, including two in Tampa. Carolina and Montreal each have a home game with Tampa Bay, while Pittsburgh and Columbus do not play the Lightning again.

The home crowd at PNC Arena could have a massive impact on the Canes’ chances of a playoff spot. We have a reasonable schedule compared to our rivals, and hold the key to our own destiny – let’s make the most of our home advantage, starting tonight against the Kings.

Go Canes!