Hurricanes lead NHL East at Olympics break

RALEIGH, N.C. – Rod Brind’Amour completed his postgame workout and strolled through the locker room with his two young sons, Skyler and Reece.

The Carolina Hurricanes had won their final game Sunday before a 16-day Olympic break. Brind’Amour, of Ottawa, wasn’t selected for the Canadian team, and the Carolina captain was ready for some down time.

“I could have used it about a week ago,” he said. “But now it’s here, so we can come back and just gear up for the stretch run.”

Seven of his teammates are playing at the Turin Olympics, where Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette leads the U.S. team. They left behind perhaps the most surprising team in the NHL, one that leads the Eastern Conference with 82 points through 57 games.

That’s only one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for best overall.

“We haven’t accomplished anything yet, really,” said left wing Erik Cole, one of the Olympians. “But we’re right where we want to be. The best part of the season is still coming.”

For the first time since a surprising run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002, that should include the playoffs. The Hurricanes lead the Southeast Division by 14 points, the largest margin in the league.

They’ve put together a pair of nine-game winning streaks and recently won 21 of 26 games. Carolina had a franchise-best run of nine straight home victories, too.

“I’m not much of a reflector,” Laviolette said before heading to Italy. “I don’t look back and reflect on too much, good or bad. It’s more about what’s going to happen tomorrow and trying to stay ahead of it.”

There are plenty of reasons for Carolina’s fast start. Second-year center Eric Staal is the league’s third-leading scorer with 75 points – including 36 goals – and has a chance to set the franchise record for points.

Mike Rogers totaled 105 in 1979-80 and 1980-81 when the team first joined the NHL and was the Hartford Whalers. Staal is on pace for 107.

Cole and newcomer Cory Stillman each have 54 points, Justin Williams has 53 and Brind’Amour has 49 to lead the balanced attack for the Hurricanes.

“The team has played extremely well to this point, and they’ve been consistent with their effort,” Laviolette said. “I think that’s been the most impressive thing. Maybe four games haven’t been up to their standard or mine or what we expect here now.”

One of those was a loss to the lowly Pittsburgh Penguins that ended the home winning streak, when Carolina was outplayed from start to finish.

“We had the odd stinker in there, and everybody knew it was a stinker and nobody thought of it,” Laviolette said.

Bouncing back to beat Buffalo 4-3 in a shootout last Sunday was crucial.