Hurricanes need five wins for shot at Stanley Cup playoffs

RALEIGH (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have just one five-game winning streak this season. To have a chance of defending their Stanley Cup championship, they'll have to match that run, then hope for some help.

The first chance for a victory run comes tonight at the RBC Center against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

And even if the Hurricanes win that game and the next four, the 10 points they capture for those wins may not be enough to lift them from 10th place in the playoff race.

The Hurricanes put themselves in their current predicament by losing a pair of road games earlier in the week. After Toronto handed the Hurricanes at 6-1 beating, Philadelphia added a 5-1 defeat on Wednesday.