Raleigh IS Now Upset City! Can you believe it? New Jersey Devils lose 4-3 after taking the lead at the mid-point of the 1st period as Carolina scores 2 goals in the last minute and a half to win. This was probably THE best opening round series of this year's playoffs. Almost every game was like this one. Last minute goals balanced against fantastic goaltending on both sides. Eric Staal will be called the hero of game 7 for this series for his game-winning goal, but there were several Carolina players who deserve accolades for their play. The 'Canes will now face the Boston Bruins in Round 2 starting Friday night in Beantown.
Tuomo Ruutu opened the scoring just a minute into the game and the Canes were looking hopeful. But New Jersey captain, Jamie Langenbrunner, who looked fully recovered from his injuries tied it at 1-1 a minute and a half later. Then Jay Pandolfo backhanded the Devils into the lead at about the 13 minute mark of the first and the Devils settled down into their patented shutdown game. The first period had no penalties, but both teams picked up their games for the 2nd. At 3:42 of the second, Carolina veteran Ray Whitney snapped the tying goal past Martin Brodeur but Brian Rolston scored a powerplay marker at 8:47. No more goals in the 2nd - and it looked like that would be all.
Both teams had 12 shots each in the 3rd period and Carolina's Cam Ward stopped several great New Jersey shots, giving Carolina the chance they needed. And then it happened. Jussi Jokinen finally got one past Brodeur with a minute-20 to go. Everyone was thinking OVERTIME. But The Canes kept coming. They got the puck into the Devils zone one more time and New Jersey came this close (I'm holding my finger and thumb slightly apart) to intercepting a Carolina pass to Tim Gleason which would have likely resulted in a breakaway for the Devils, but Gleason (from his knees!) shoveled a pass over to Joni Pitkanen who fired a pass to Jussi Jokinen hovering off Brodeur's crease and he one-timed a shot through his pads to score an unbelievable goal. Eric Staal then flew down the rink and scored a beauty past Martin Brodeur to win the series. If Gleason hadn't been able to just barely reach that puck...
Kudos to the Canes. Now they will meet up with the Bruins who are all rested up after sweeping the Habs. That will be a great series too. And the Bruins had better not let themselves be caught nappin' with a one goal lead, as these upstart Hurricanes have proven they play every minute.
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