Carolina's clinch scenarios

Carolina can lock up the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed Monday with the smallest possible result: one point against Philadelphia. (nhl.com) The Hurricanes enter the night at 52-22-6 with 110 points through 80 games. The Philadelphia Flyers are 41-27-12 with 94 points, and the game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern time in Philadelphia. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) In the National Hockey League standings, a regulation or overtime win is worth two points and an overtime or shootout loss is worth one. That is why a Carolina loss after regulation would still be enough to clinch the conference title. (nhl.com) Carolina also has a second path that does not depend on its own game. If the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Buffalo Sabres in any fashion in the 8:30 p.m. Eastern time game, the Hurricanes clinch the East anyway. (nhl.com) The race matters because Buffalo is the top team in the Atlantic Division at 106 points, four behind Carolina. Tampa Bay and Montreal are both at 104, so the Atlantic title and home-ice order there are still unsettled. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) Philadelphia is playing for something bigger than spoiler duty. The Flyers clinch a playoff berth and a first-round series against Pittsburgh if they beat Carolina in any fashion, ending a postseason drought that dates to 2020. (nhl.com) The Hurricanes already wrapped up the Metropolitan Division, so this is about finishing above every other team in the East before the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin. NHL Media said on April 13 that four days remained in the regular season and seven of eight first-round series were still not set. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) If Carolina gets that one point, or gets help from Chicago later in the night, the East’s road to the Stanley Cup Final runs through Raleigh. (nhl.com)