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Miracle at the Rock: Canes play on
NEWARK, N.J., Apr 29, 2009 (The News & Observer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
The New Jersey Devils led 3-2, Martin Brodeur was making big stops in goal, and the Prudential Center crowd was getting louder with each passing minute Tuesday night.
Four minutes left in Game 7 of their playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Devils led. Three minutes left. Two minutes left. Ninety seconds left.
The noise level rising. The Hurricanes' Stanley Cup playoffs, their season, seemingly coming to a painful end.
And then, almost in a flash, the Hurricanes won 4-3 on an Eric Staal goal with 31.7 seconds remaining.
Jussi Jokinen scored for the Canes with 1:20 left, off a Joni Pitkanen pass. That tied it 3-3 and hushed 17,625 fans. Would there be overtime -- perhaps a fitting way to end such a close, tough series?
No. Staal got the puck with open ice on the right wing. He fired a hard shot past Brodeur, and just like that it was 4-3.
"Surreal," Canes coach Paul Maurice said.
"Stunning," Brodeur said.
Well, yes. The Canes, seeded sixth in the Eastern Conference, advance to play the top-seeded Boston Bruins in a semifinal series that will begin later this week in Boston on Friday.
"We showed a lot of character at the end of the game," said Staal, who scored his first Game 7 game-winner.
Staal quickly credited linemate Chad LaRose's pass for being a big part of the winning goal, which left Staal gliding and winging about the ice, letting out a victory howl.
"Chad took a hit from [defenseman] Colin White," Staal said. "That's the most ice I had the whole game with speed and some room down the wing.
"I just tried to put a good shot, blocker low, and luckily it went by him."
It was more than luck, said Brodeur, the NHL's all-time winningest goaltender who now has a 10-14 career mark against the Canes in the playoffs.
"They found a way, as they always seem to against us," said a dejected Brodeur. "Staal made a great shot. When you let him skate with speed ... he got the shot he wanted and made the shot."
On the other end of the ice, Cam Ward was finishing off a series -- the Canes' first in the playoffs since winning the 2006 Stanley Cup -- that saw him duel Brodeur, a future Hall of Famer, and match him stop for stop. Ward, now 3-0 in Game 7 starts, had 32 saves.
The Canes grabbed a a 1-0 lead barely a minute into the game on a hard wrister by Tuomo Ruutu, only to have the Devils quickly tie it on Jamie Langenbrunner's goal.
The Devils then took a 2-1 lead on Jay Pandolfo's goal on a two-on-one rush when Staal was late getting back.
"The first period, I didn't have the jump in the legs as much as I wanted to," Staal said. "I felt pretty bad about that second goal. It was on the backcheck, and I probably should have had the guy and boxed him out.
"I kind of put that in the back of the memory bank the rest of the game."
Ray Whitney' score gave the Canes a 2-2 tie early in the second, but the Devils moved ahead 3-2 on Brian Rolston's power-play goal at 8:47 of the period after the Canes turned the puck over shorthanded.
When the Canes failed on 1:08 of a two-man advantage later in the second, it appeared to be a huge misfire. Brodeur was making saves, and the Devils in a strong defensive mode.
Then, a comeback for the ages.
Defenseman Tim Gleason dived to the ice inside the blue line to nudge the puck toward Pitkanen at the left point. Pitkanen found Jokinen -- a fellow Finn -- open to the right of the goal, and Jokinen scored his third goal of the series.
"We've been making those plays since we were 14 years old," Jokinen said, smiling.
Then came Staal, with the Game 7 winner against Martin Brodeur.
"I'll remember that one when it's all said and done," Staal said.
The Hurricanes' season is not done. There will be more playoff tomorrows for this team.
"Fantastic," Maurice said of the finish.
Well, yes.
chip.alexander@newsobserver.com or 919-829-8945
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