Hurricanes end regular season with loss to Predators. The playoffs are next.

On to the playoffs.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators took care of one final bit of business in the regular season on Monday, and the Predators came away with a 5-0 victory at Bridgestone Arena.

Matt Duchene scored twice and goalie Pekka Rinne, the old pro, had a vintage performance in net for the Predators, making 30 saves in his 60th career shutout and his 369th career win.

Rocco Grimaldi’s shorthanded goal gave Nashville an early lead, and Tanner Jeannot added a second shorthanded score in the first period of the third. Ryan Johansen had a power-play goal in the second period for the Predators.

None of that will matter when the Canes and Predators face off in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The date of Game 1 has yet to be announced by the NHL.

Was Monday’s game some kind of statement game? Hard to say, with Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour holding five regulars out of the lineup. And the Hurricanes made six statements of their own during the season, going 6-2-0 against Nashville, and have won 13 of the last 16 games against the Preds.

The Canes (36-12-8) won the Central Division. The Predators (31-23-2) were fourth. That’s a statement.

One interesting development Monday was an announcement that the Predators have been given approval to have 12,135 fans at their home playoff games. That seating increase, from 40 percent capacity to 70 percent, could be a factor, even with the Canes holding the home-ice advantage in the opening round.

Brind’Amour is hopeful of having a full complement of players. Sitting out Monday’s game were forwards Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov, and defensemen Jaccob Slavin, Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce.

Brind’Amour remains hopeful that Slavin, who suffered a lower-body injury Saturday in a 3-1 loss to Nashville, will be ready to play in Game 1 of the playoffs.

With three defensemen out, Joey Keane was recalled Monday from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL and made his NHL debut for the Hurricanes. The defenseman, 21, took the customary solo lap before the pregame warmup, a thrill for the Chicago native.

The Canes were winless in their last three games of the regular season, including the two regulation losses to the Predators. They’ll have a week of practice to hone some aspects of their play, with expected emphasis on special teams.

One of Brind’Amour’s biggest decisions will be deciding on a No. 1 goalie -- Petr Mrazek or Alex Nedeljkovic. Mrazek was the starter Monday and took a 10-1-0 career record against Nashville into the game.

Earlier game updates

Second period: Preds add to lead

Matt Duchene’s second goal of the game and Ryan Johansen’s power-play score have pushed the Preds to a 4-0 lead after the second period over the Canes, who have five regulars out of the lineup.

Duchene scored on a delayed penalty against the Canes at 4:19 of the second.

Preds goalie Pekka Rinne, starting the final game of the regular season, has made some sparkling saves.

First period: Preds lead 2-0

Rocco Grimaldi’s early shorthanded goal and an even-strength score by Matt Duchene have given the Preds a 2-0 lead after the first period.

After the Canes’ Sebastian Aho turned the puck on the zone entry, Grimaldi took the puck up the left boards, pushed past defenseman Jake Gardiner and backhanded a shot past Petr Mrazek at 2:51 of the first. It was Grimaldi’s 10th of the season.

Duchene scored at 4:29, beating Mrazek in tight for his fifth of the season. Duchene beat defenseman Jani Hakanpaa to the net on the back side and took a tipped pass from Yakov Trenin.

The Canes has two good chances to score the game’s first goal as Vincent Trocheck and then Jake Bean were stopped by goalie Pekka Rinne, who had a flawless first.

Canes forward Max McCormick dropped the gloves and punched it out with the Preds’ Tyler Lewington with 6:04 left in the first. It was McCormick’s first NHL fight but did little to change the game momentum.

The lineup

The Canes’ evolving and changing lineup became the Canes’ top story line Monday.

Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour will hold a number of players out Monday against the Predators in the final regular-season game: defenseman Jaccob Slavin, Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce; and forwards Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov.

Slavin left Saturday’s game against Nashville with a lower-body injury after the first period. Brind’Amour said he “tweaked” something and that it would continue to keep him out Monday, although saying he hoped Slavin’s injury was “day to day” and that he would be ready for the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“Unfortunately, we’ve got a lot of banged-up guys,” Brind’Amour said after the morning skate. “Guys that are hurt, they’re hurting. We’re hoping this time between now and the playoffs gets these guys healthy to play. But we’ve got guys that have been playing through a lot of stuff. We’re a little nicked up.”

Goalie Petr Mrazek will be the starter, playing his third game since returning from a lower-body injury that kept him out eight games. Forward Jordan Martinook is set to return after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.

Injured forwards Brock McGinn and Cedric Paquette continue to be sidelined. McGinn was at the skate Monday.

“We want to play the game right, and when you’re in the lineup you’ve got to do it right,” Brind’Amour said. “The end result in this game, and it’s weird to say, is probably not that important but the process is.”

Both the Canes and Vegas Golden Knights, tied for the NHL points lead with 80 points, are in action Monday.

Making his debut

It will be a big night for defenseman Joey Keane, who was drafted by the New York Rangers in 2018 but will make his NHL debut Monday for the Canes.

Keane, 21, is expected to be paired with Jake Gardiner and will have a veteran D working with him. He said his family was able to secure tickets for the game and would be in Nashville for his first NHL game, offering more support.

“It’s been a tough season for everyone but I’m very fortunate to be in this position and I’m just going to make the most of it and have fun,” Keane said Monday. “I’ve been waiting for it for a long time and I’ve been training for it for a long time, so I’m glad the time has come.”

Keane was recalled Monday from the Chicago Wolves, the Canes’ AHL affiliate that also has working agreement this season with Nashville and has some of the Preds’ top prospects on its roster.

Keane, traded to Carolina in February 2020 for forward Julien Gauthier, was called a “great addition” by Brind’Amour.

“Great attitude.,” Brind’Amour said. “Love the kid and I love to see him have the opportunity tonight.”