Carolina Hurricanes Playoff Picture: How can Canes clinch playoffs on Tuesday vs Penguins? 

As the NHL regular season winds down, the Carolina Hurricanes find themselves on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth. With just a single point separating them from the top spot in the entire league, the Hurricanes are poised to make a statement on Tuesday as they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Sitting at 97 points, the Hurricanes are part of a tight race at the top, with several teams jockeying for position in the Presidents Trophy race. However, their immediate focus is on securing their ticket to the postseason, and they have a clear path to achieving that goal on Tuesday night.

For the Carolina Hurricanes to clinch a playoff spot, they need to take care of business against the Penguins. A win in any fashion would put them one step closer to their objective.

The Hurricanes can't outright claim a playoff spot with a win over the Penguins, however, beating them in any fashion seems a little over half the battle. Their fate also relies on the outcomes of other key matchups across the league.

Firstly, if the Hurricanes emerge victorious against the Penguins and either of the following scenarios unfolds, they will punch their ticket to the playoffs:

#1. The Detroit Red Wings lose to the Washington Capitals in any fashion.

#2. The Philadelphia Flyers lose to the New York Rangers in regulation.

#3. The Philadelphia Flyers lose to the New York Rangers in overtime or shootout, coupled with a regulation loss for the Washington Capitals against the Detroit Red Wings.

Alternatively, if the Carolina Hurricanes manage to secure at least one point against the Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings falter against the Washington Capitals in regulation, Carolina will clinch a playoff berth.

Carolina Hurricanes will need losses from Wild Card hopefuls to clinch playoff spot on Tuesday

While the Carolina Hurricanes certainly have a solid shot to take down the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are currently well out of a possible playoff spot in the eastern conference, the same can't be said for the rest of the scenario.

Each of the teams that the Hurricanes need to lose is in a fight for their respective playoff lives, in pursuit of three extremely coveted playoff spots in the back end of the Metro Conference and two wild card spots.

As of now, the Lightning is firmly entrenched in the first playoff spot, leaving the Red Wings, Flyers and Washington Capitals to battle out for the final wild card spot. Meanwhile, the Flyers, Capitals and New York Islanders are also battling for the third seed in the Metro.