Canes chase playoff breakthrough with high hopes in Raleigh

State of play: If the playoffs started today, the Canes would be the Eastern Conference's top seed and would face the wild-card Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round.

Yes, but: The Athletic wrote on Wednesday that the matchups "remain very much in flux" as teams jockey for seeding.

By the numbers: For only the fifth time in franchise history, the Canes have reached 100 points on the season. They are currently averaging nearly 3.5 goals per game.

• The overall points leader is Sebastian Aho. He leads the team in assists, with 50, and also has 25 goals.
• Seth Jarvis has the most goals, with 30, his third straight year reaching that milestone.

The intrigue: A strong new goalie has emerged in Brandon Bussi, who was picked up on waivers but played his way into a three-year contract.

• Bussi has already won more games this season than veteran Frederik Andersen and backup Pyotr Kochetkov combined.

The big picture: Even though the Hurricanes have made the playoffs each of the past seven years under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, fans are frustrated that the team keeps flaming out early.

• Carolina hasn't reached the Stanley Cup Finals since winning it all 20 years ago.
• Three times, including last season, the Canes lost in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the other four seasons, the team was eliminated in the first or second round.

Between the lines: Those defeats were dealt out by the Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, several of whom have seen their stars fade.

• This year, the Rangers have already been eliminated, and the Panthers are a long shot to make the playoffs.

What they're saying: The Canes play aggressively and shoot often, a style opponents have called "suffocating." An analysis by The Hockey News shows that recent tactical shifts have led to more selectivity with shots on goal, something that's paying dividends.

• The roster is one of the deepest in years, the news site also notes. "The Hurricanes have 12 players who have reached double-digit goals this year, the most by any team in the league."
• And lately, the power play has been "red hot," with the Canes scoring on a quarter of all power play opportunities.

Fun fact: NHL players say the Lenovo Center is the toughest place to play away games, thanks in part to its noisy crowds.

• The arena has a 155-game sellout streak going, team officials told Axios on Wednesday. That dates back to Feb. 24, 2023.

What's next: Three home games remain, all versus potential playoff teams.

• Thursday, April 2: Columbus Blue Jackets at 7pm ($54 and up)
• Saturday, April 4: New York Islanders at 7pm ($64 and up)
• Tuesday, April 7: Boston Bruins at 7pm ($71 and up)