TORONTO - When the Carolina Hurricanes jump back into postseason action after a week's layoff, they expect to have Dougie Hamilton back in their lineup.

Hamilton has not played since mid-January, when he suffered a broken fibula in his left leg in Columbus. An undisclosed injury prevented him form drawing back in during the Cup Qualifiers, but after practicing with the Canes in the last week, he's set to get back into game action against the Boston Bruins.

GAME 1 PREVIEW

With that in mind and based on lines used in Game 3 of the Qualifiers, here is the projected lineup for the Hurricanes.

TORONTO - The field of 16 is set for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the Carolina Hurricanes draw the Boston Bruins in the First Round.

The match-up is a rematch of the 2019 Eastern Conference Final, which ended in a four-game sweep for the Bruins, who have won four of the last five playoff series between the two teams.

"Obviously, we weren't happy with the last time we played them in playoffs," Jordan Staal said on Monday. "We owe them a better series. Two very good teams going at it, a good challenge for our group in the first round."

TORONTO - In the spring of 2019, an upstart, feisty young Carolina Hurricanes bunch had scratched and clawed their way back into the postseason for the first time in 10 years. They dethroned the defending Stanley Cup champions and swept their way through the Second Round before meeting the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Bruins then swept the Canes, bringing a swift, unfortunate end to Carolina's magical run.

A year later, the stage is set for a rematch between the Canes and Bruins in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

TORONTO - The Carolina Hurricanes today announced the team's schedule for the First Round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In a rematch of the 2019 Eastern Conference Final, Carolina will face the Boston Bruins in the First Round.

TORONTO - Five days after becoming the first team to advance from the Cup Qualifiers into the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes finally know their opponent.

In a rematch of the 2019 Eastern Conference Final, the Canes will square off with the Boston Bruins, who claimed the 2019-20 Presidents' Trophy with 100 points in 70 regular-season games (44-14-12).

We'll dive deeper into the match-up tomorrow, but before then, let's get reacquainted with what happened in three games against the New York Rangers with a look at the three stars of the series.

TORONTO - The final horn sounded at Scotiabank Arena at 10:49 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday.

A jubilant Carolina Hurricanes bunch skated down to James Reimer, who held strong in his crease with 37 saves on 38 shots in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. The Canes made quick work of the New York Rangers, winning three games in four days to sweep the series and become the first team to advance from the qualifying round into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

How have they filled the four days since?

TORONTO - The Carolina Hurricanes were the first team to advance from the Stanley Cup Qualifiers to the First Round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs after their three-game sweep of the New York Rangers.

Three days later, it's still undetermined who the Canes will face in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the picture is a little clearer today than it was earlier in the week.

TORONTO - Rocking a tinted visor, a new look he debuted at the start of Phase 3 training camp, Dougie Hamilton returned to Carolina Hurricanes practice on Thursday.

The defenseman, who last practiced with the team on July 22 in Raleigh, has been skating on his own in Toronto but has otherwise since been "unfit to participate," as is the new official injury nomenclature.

While the Canes' might have a week's layoff in between postseason games, the empty calendar affords them the opportunity to get Hamilton back up to speed and potentially in the lineup for Game 1 against a still-to-be-determined opponent.

"It's just a good sign that he's out there with the guys in a regular kind of form," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said after practice. "We didn't push him or anything today, but it's the first step in hopefully getting him back."

TORONTO - The Carolina Hurricanes punched their ticket to the First Round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the Cup Qualifiers.

Teuvo Teravainen, Warren Foegele and Sebastian Aho found the back of the net, and James Reimer made 37 saves, as the Canes completed the three-game series sweep of their Metropolitan Division foe.

TORONTO - The Carolina Hurricanes have an opportunity to be the first team to advance from the Cup Qualifiers into the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs when they square off against the New York Rangers in Game 3.

The Canes took a commanding 2-0 series lead with a 4-1 victory on Monday afternoon and hope to finish off the series with the nightcap on Tuesday night in the Eastern Conference hub city of Toronto.

GAME 3 PREVIEW

Here is the projected lineup for the Hurricanes.