After the break, a very strange home stretch.

While the NHL takes a pause for the Olympic Games, everybody gets a chance to rest up their groins and "upper bodies". They get to hang out with family and friends. They get to watch what should be a great tournament.

When the break is over, most teams will have 24 games left on their plate. Carolina will have 25 games to protect their 14-point divisional lead, and their narrow three point conference lead. 11 of these 25 games will be at home. The Canes will have one five game road swing, one four game road trip, and another string of three straight road games. The five game trip and the four game trip are interrupted by a lone home game against the Rangers on March 14. The tail end of the five game swing features two consecutive games at Florida on March 10 and 11. The four game road trip takes us to every Northeast barn except Ottawa, who we played four times in the first half of the season.

It looks like most teams will be having a division-heavy final stretch, and Carolina has 11 of their final 13 games against Southeast opponents. This will give everyone else a chance to catch up, or hopefully, give Carolina a chance to really distance themselves.
Included in the 11 Southeast games:

• Five games against the Caps. Three of those will be consecutive games (April 3, 5, 7), including two consecutive games (April 5, 7) at the MCI Center.
  
• Three games against the Bolts, including a consecutive-night home-and-home. April 14 in Raleigh, and April 15 in Tampa
  
• One game at home against Florida
  
• Two games at Atlanta.

The Canes will close the season at home against the Sabres, who will be vying for a top spot in the conference.