We've reached the final two games, and despite consistently resting players through their first two stops, the Carolina Hurricanes have been perfect halfway through their journey. They followed up a lopsided win over the Blackhawks on Thursday with a strong effort on Saturday against Utah. Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal, and Sebastian Aho all hit milestones in a 4-1 victory over the Mammoth.
The Hurricanes enter tonight with a chance to win the Eastern Conference. They can do it one of two ways. While two points would be ideal, the first scenario requires just one to ensure that the Buffalo Sabres can't pass them. Or, in the event of a regulation loss, the Blackhawks could do them a favor and prevent Buffalo from earning two points. Anything less than a Buffalo win gets the job done, too.
On the Other Side: Philadelphia Flyers
Last meeting: The Flyers and the Hurricanes met for a weekend home-and-home in mid-December. After the Canes won in a shootout in Philadelphia, they did it again the following night in Raleigh. The route to get the win was a little different than the night before, but the result was the same. Bussi earned his ninth straight win with another 3-2 shootout triumph.
When the trade deadline passed on March 6, the Flyers were six points out of a Wild Card spot and eight back of the Islanders for third in the Metro. It's like a switch flipped for them afterward because they've worked their way into a favorable spot and a potential berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs. It has been quite a remarkable turnaround for the group.
Since March 7, the Flyers have gone 13-5-1, removing the gap between them and a playoff spot. They aren't out of the woods yet, with the Blue Jackets and Capitals very much alive in the fight for the final spot in the postseason. The one thing working against them is the tiebreaker. Both teams have more regulation wins than the Flyers, so they must finish with more points.
Over this recent stretch, the Flyers have been very good at five-on-five. They've needed to be, with both their power play and penalty kill struggling. Their kill has been the sixth-worst (71.9%), while their power play is the third-worst (14.0%). Still, there is plenty to worry about with the Flyers, especially leading scorers Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras.
Flyers to Watch
Porter Martone: The Flyers brought their top prospect into the fold once the NCAA season ended, and he has fit in without any issues. In seven games, Martone has three goals and seven points, with his biggest being an OT-winning goal last weekend against the Bruins. He'll figure to be a big part of the Flyers' future, and he's proving why right now.
Jamie Drysdale: Like his former teammate in Anaheim, the move to Philadelphia has been very fruitful for Drysdale. He earned points in both games of the weekend home-and-home against the Canes, including a goal during the meeting in Raleigh. Drysdale has already surpassed his personal best in goals and is one point away from a new career high.
Hurricanes to Watch
Brandon Bussi: There is only one Hurricane who I feel confident in saying will be in the lineup on Monday night, and that's their netminder. Bussi is winning games, but they've been ugly in most cases. Two stellar starts from Andersen have him ahead for the Game 1 start in most people's eyes, so this will be a big start for the rookie.
Otherwise, your guess is, once again, as good as mine regarding the rest of the lineup. We've seen mass resting for most of the roster to this point, with only a handful of players remaining to get a game off. I would imagine that those few will get at least tonight off, though it's far from certain. Whatever the case, we'll all wait with bated breath to see who the 18 skaters will be.