Game 7 Drama x 2

CANES, CAPS SCORE LATE TO WIN GAME 7s

(6) CAROLINA 4 – (3) NEW JERSEY 3

Hurricanes win series, 4-3

In one of the most shocking finishes in NHL playoff history, the Carolina Hurricanes exorcised the New Jersey Devils on goals from Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal within the final 80 seconds of Tuesday night’s game. It was the Canes’ second final-seconds victory of the series and sent them onto the conference semifinals, where they will meet the top-seeded Bruins.

New Jersey led 3-2 after two periods on goals from Jamie Langenbrunner, Jay Pandolfo and Brian Rolston (power play), but could not expand on that lead in the third because of more excellent goaltending from Cam Ward. His play allowed Jokinen to net the equalizer at 18:40, one-timing a cross-ice pass from Joni Pitkanen through a sliding Brodeur. Tim Gleason played the biggest role in the goal, getting the puck to Pitkanen on the left wing from his knees at the blue line.

Forty-eight seconds later, Staal rushed the right wing and beat Brodeur far side between his arm and body. It was Staal’s fifth goal of the series and the latest Game 7 third-period game-winner ever. New Jersey is the first team in this postseason to lose after leading after two periods, while Ward becomes the sixth goalie to win the first three Game 7s of his career.

(2) WASHINGTON 2 – (7) NY RANGERS 1

Capitals win series, 4-3

Sergei Fedorov’s right wing wrist shot late in the third period completed Washington’s recovery from a 3-games-to-1 deficit Tuesday night in D.C. The Rangers, though, were the better team for most of the night, controlling the puck in the Capital zone for long stretches of time. The pseudo-four corners offense kept Alex Ovechkin and the Washington attack under wraps, but it did not produce goals or even power plays for New York. The Blueshirts themselves managed only 15 shots on goal, testing rookie Simeon Varlamov only a handful of times.

Two of those times came very early in the game when Sean Avery found room on the right wing for a sharp wrister and when Nik Antropov broke in alone off a long Michal Rozsival pass. Varlamov stopped both, but gave up a rebound goal to Antropov shortly thereafter. The Rangers kept the 1-0 lead until Alex Semin’s fluke goal at 15:34 of the first period. His shot deflected off Ryan Callahan’s stick and body, and then fluttered in to the left of Henrik Lundqvist as he slid to the right.

The Ranger goalie played well after ugly outings in the previous two games, but could not glove Fedorov’s game-winner, which came through Wade Redden’s legs with 4:59 to play. Washington did not allow New York any last-second chances to tie the game and will now play Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh in round two.

The Rangers had never blown a 3-1 series lead before in franchise history. This is the Caps’ first series win since they won the Eastern Conference in 1998.

IN OTHER NEWS…

The League has loaned the Phoenix Coyotes an undisclosed amount of money to meet payroll and rent payments. According to the Arizona Republic, the NHL can take the team over if it fails to repay the money.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have removed the interim tag from head coach Dan Bylsma’s title. After Michel Therien was fired, the Pens won 18 of 25 games, then ousted Philadelphia in the opening round. Terms of Bylsma’s multi-year contract are unknown right now.

Detroit’s Pavel Dastyuk, the Flyers’ Mike Richards and Ryan Kesler in Vancouver are this year’s finalists for the Selke Trophy, which goes to the best defensive forward. Datsyuk won last year’s award.

Richards is having surgery Friday for a torn labrum in his right shoulder. GM Paul Holmgren expects recovery time to be 10-12 weeks.

The Minnesota Wild says Marc-Andre Bergeron’s back surgery Tuesday was a success. The team said the operation corrected a “disc issue”. Rehab starts Wednesday and should take six-to-eight weeks.

The AHL Board of Governors approved three new league cities Tuesday. The Flames’ top affiliate is moving to Abbotsford, British Columbia. The Stars’ version is headed to Austin, Texas, and the Phantoms are moving from Philadelphia to Glens Falls, New York.

ROUND TWO’S GAME ONES

(6) CAROLINA @ (1) BOSTON, Friday 7:30pm ET

(4) PITTSBURGH @ (2) WASHINGTON, Saturday 1pm ET

(8) ANAHEIM @ (2) DETROIT, Friday 7pm ET

(4) CHICAGO @ (3) VANCOUVER, Thursday, 9pm ET