PHOTO: The Carolina Hurricanes' Eric Staal (12) is congratulated by Jiri Tlusty (19), Tim Brent (37) and Brandon Sutter (16) after he scored the game winner Thursday, April 6, 2012, during the shootout period of an NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens at the PNC Arena in Raleigh. The Canes beat Montreal 2-1 in the Canes' final home game of the season. Photo by Chris Seward - cseward@newsobserver.com

RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes played their final home game of the season Thursday and sent their fans home happy as Eric Staal’s goal in a shootout lifted the Canes to a 2-1 victory at PNC Arena.

The Canadiens had a brief 5-on-3 power play late in regulation but could not score. Montreal then began the overtime with 1:33 of a 4-on-3 power play and could not score.

In the shootout, Canes goalie Cam Ward stopped shots by Lars Eller and David Desharnais, while Habs goalie Peter Budaj stopped Jeff Skinner and the Canes' Jussi Jokinen was wide on his attempt.

Canes coach Paul Maurice said today he already has his lineup set for Friday's opener against Tampa Bay.

Well, kind of. Wingers Chad LaRose and Patrick Dwyer did miss today's practice. Dwyer was said to be ill and should be back Wednesday, but LaRose's lower-body injury is more of a concern and could affect roster decisions.

Maurice said LaRose would skate Wednesday, and that personnel decisions would be made tomorrow. LaRose could be placed on Injured Reserve, Maurice said.

"If (LaRose) wasn't able to practice tomorrow and we did not have a comfort level that he would get to Friday, we could IR back-date him and he would be available for the Washington game (Saturday)," Maurice said.

It's clearly time for a new name. How about Camp Rosey?

For years, Rod Brind'Amour was the man in charge of the Canes' informal workouts before the team's preseason training camp began. The former captain was a taskmaster and "Camp Brind'Amour" became the name of the workouts.

Brind'Amour now is an assistant coach on Paul Maurice's staff. Gone also are such veterans as Erik Cole and Joe Corvo. Today, when the workout began at Raleigh Center Ice, it was Chad LaRose doing most of the organizing and LaRose's voice being heard the most.

"You need to be a little bit of a voice, so there's a little direction out there," LaRose said. "Day One, here we go."

The Carolina Hurricanes announced this morning that forward Chad LaRose has agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the team.

The deal will pay the 29-year-old LaRose, who scored 16 goals for the Hurricanes last season, $1.5 million for the 2011-12 season, $1.9 million in 2012-13.

A product of the Compuware youth hockey system, LaRose has played for the Hurricanes organization at nearly every level, including youth hockey (Compuware), junior hockey (Plymouth), the ECHL (Florida) and the NHL (Carolina).

When the Charlotte Checkers open the AHL Eastern Conference finals Thursday at home, it represents the deepest a Carolina Hurricanes farm team has gone in the playoffs since 1997, when the Springfield Falcons made it to this point in the AHL playoffs.

The Falcons -- coached by Kevin McCarthy -- lost to the Hershey Bears, who went on to win the Calder Cup. Three times since, the Hurricanes’ minor-league affiliate has won one playoff round, but this year’s Checkers are the first to win two.

Jiri Tlusty was on the ice today at the RecZone and Chad LaRose was not for the Canes' practice.

LaRose was in the building. You could hear him. And coach Paul Maurice said the winger would play Wednesday in the home opener against the Washington Capitals.

"He'll be fine for the morning skate," Maurice said. "We're in-season, so that means there's always guys who can get a little better if they don't skate. But he'll be fine for the morning skate and the game."

Canes coach Paul Maurice said today that forward Chad LaRose was injured during Saturday's game against the Blackhawks. LaRose has an upper-body injury, did not make the four-game road trip and will be re-evaluated next week.

Maurice said injured forwards Tuomo Ruutu, Erik Cole and Scott Walker still are not ready to play. The Canes elected to play Monday's game with 19 roster players.

There's a chance defenseman Joe Corvo could return Wednesday against Calgary. 

RALEIGH – The Carolina Hurricanes got two regulars back in their lineup, but the result was the same.

The Tampa Bay Lightning never trailed in a 3-2 win, handing the Hurricanes their third-straight loss at the RBC Center Monday.

Forwards Sergei Samsonov and Chad LaRose will return to the lineup for the Carolina Hurricanes' game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the RBC Center tonight at 7 p.m.

Samsonov and LaRose have been skating with the team for several days now and traveled with the team on last week's two-game road trip to Toronto and Detroit.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Canes coach Paul Maurice said today that there would be no lineup changes for Thursday's game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Injured forwards Sergei Samsonov, Chad LaRose and Erik Cole all practiced today at Compuware Arena, home of the OHL's Plymouth Whalers. But Maurice said all three were "a ways away" physically from rejoining the lineup.