Finns to the Left.... Finns to the Right...

Long time, no post...

It's been a fun last couple of weeks. It's been the return of a phenomenon not seen since the halcyon days of 2006, playoff hockey! The Hurricanes took on their playoff nemesis, the New Jersey Devils in what was to be a series for the ages. The teams previously met in 2001 (Devils won in 6), 2002 (Hurricanes won in 6), and 2006 (Hurricanes won in 5).

Cheeseburgers in Paradise

First, however, was a tailgating event for the ages. We're talking good food, drinks, and NC State sports from 9:30 am-9:30 pm. We went to Carter-Finley Stadium for the NC State spring football game. The game was fun and the tailgating was more fun. Russell Wilson and Mike Glennon looked good. Some of the young players on defense impressed and Owen Spencer even caught a pass! After the game, the fans were allowed on the field as the Carter-Finley Stadium turf was due to be replaced. All that being said, by far the most important statistic of the day was the nearly $30,000 that was raised for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Kudos to the coaching staff and all involved.

After some post-game tailgating, we left for Doak Field to watch the NC State baseball team take on Florida State. This hasn't been the greatest season for the Wolfpack baseball team and that day was no different, with a 7th inning grand slam leading the 'Noles to a 4-2 win over the 'Pack.

One Particular Harbor

The next day brought the return of playoff hockey to the Triangle. After splitting the first two games in New Jersey (a 4-1 Devils win and a 2-1 win for the Hurricanes in OT), the series came to Raleigh. Game 3 was a barn burner. After an afternoon full of tailgating, it was game time. The game embodied all that makes playoff hockey as awesome as it is. The game was a back and forth affair with the Devils going ahead 1-0 and 2-1. Each time, the Hurricanes fought back and scored to even it up, with the unheralded Ryan Bayda and the scrappy Chad LaRose lighting the lamp for the 'Canes. At the end of regulation, the score was tied at 2.

There is nothing like playoff overtime hockey. The tension is so thick you could... well, you get the picture. In 2001, the 'Canes won Game 4 in OT on a Rod Brind'Amour goal at the RBC Center (I was there). In 2002, the 'Canes won Games 2 (Bates Battaglia) and 5 (Josef Vasicek) in OT at the RBC Center (I was there!). In 2006, the 'Canes won Game 2 (The Secret Weapon, Niclas Wallin) in OT at the RBC Center (alas, I was not there). So the Hurricanes had history on their side. Well, Travis Zajac put in a rebound about 5 minutes into OT to take the air out of the building and give New Jersey a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead. Needless to say, we were all a bit disconsolate on the way back to our vehicles.

Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season

Two days later was Game 4. This game was special as it was Dawn's first NHL playoff game. It was also the playoff debut of the matching "Morgan" Hurricanes jerseys that I had bought us as a wedding present (yes, I got her something completely non-sports related as well). I had worn my Brind'Amour road jersey to Game 3 and figured the team needed a shift in mojo (like they know what I'm wearing). I was able to get extra tickets for us in Section 328 near the rest of the crew. The game started off well as Eric Staal and Ryan Bayda scored in the first period for the 'Canes. Chad LaRose scored early in the second period to make it 3-0 good guys. Well, then the wheels fell off. Brian Gionta scored late in the second to make it 3-1 and the momentum began to swing back to the Devils. The Hurricanes came out flat in the third and the Devils pounced. Brendan Shanahan (a former Whaler) and David Clarkson scored to even the score with more than half of the third period to go.

It was at this point that I went to the rally cap. I've been wearing my camo Hurricanes hat to the games and figured a little inside out rally cap is just what they needed. So, of course, the Hurricanes do nothing. They were a still a bit off, but it appeared that they would at least do enough to force another overtime game, albeit an overtime where all of the momentum was in Newe Jersey's favor. As the waning seconds of the game were ticking away, the 'Canes had the puck in the Jersey zone. Joni Pitkanen waited for what seemed like an eternity. As the entire RBC Center crowd yelled, "Shoot!", he.... passed it over to Dennis Seidenberg who let loose a slap shot. As I glanced up at the clock, I saw the "1" on the seconds display go to zero. At that point, I saw the puck in the net and heard the thunderous roar of the crowd. It was a goal! But was it in time. I tried to temper my celebration waiting for the review. I mean, how could it have gone in before time expired? The referee finished conferring with the video replay officials in Toronto and signalled.... GOAL! Jussi Jokinen had tipped in the shot with 0.2 seconds left. It was the latest a goal had ever been scored in a regulation game in the postseason. After the game, I was nuts, high fiving everyone I could, even one real a-hole of a fan who sits in our section, but I digress. I was so happy Dawn was able to see a win in her first playoff game. Who knew she'd be a witness to history?

Wasting Away Again...

Thursday was Game 5, in New Jersey. It was also the night of the Jimmy Buffett concert in Raleigh. I was able to obtain tickets for the concert as Dawn is a big-time Buffett fan. It was also Dawn's birthday, so it was only appropriate that we went. We met up with a couple friends for a mini-tailgate before the show and waited through the interminably long line to get in. Now for the disclaimer, I'm not a huge Buffett fan. I've never been big on the "I love the islands, I'm a beach bum" type of music. Maybe living in Key West gave me a contrarian outlook. Who knows? But still, I had a good time at the concert, even if I didn't know half of the songs. Buffett seemed like he was having fun and the crowd did as well. I'll sum the concert up this way, white people love Jimmy Buffett even more that they love Huey Lewis and the News.

While the concert was fun and my favorite person in the world seemed to enjoy her night, things fared a little worse for the 'Canes. New Jersey won 1-0 in an epic duel of goaltenders. Martin Brodeur made 44 saves in the win and Cam Ward made 41 saves. It was the most combined saves ever in a 1-0 playoff game. This put the Hurricanes in a must-win situation for Game 6 in Raleigh on Sunday.

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

Game 6 was a must win and the Hurricanes played like it.The team peppered Brodeur with shots early, but, as in Game 5, Brodeur was a brick wall. But then, an amazing goal happened, compliments of Dawn's favorite player, the Wizard, Ray Whitney. Eric Staal took a shot that bounced off the back boards. Chad LaRose shot the rebound towards the goal, but it hit a stick or a body and fluttered in mid-air. Whitney then batted it out of the air line-drive style and into the back of the net. The crowd went wild! Eric Staal then took the game over, scoring two second period goals, both with assists from the Wizard. Jussi Jokinen finished the scoring with a 5-on-3 goal in the third period for a 4-0 shutout. Cam Ward kept the Devils at bay offensively throughout the game. The crowd was at full voice throughout the game, exhorting the 'Canes on, knowing that it could be the last time they'd see hockey at the RBC Center this season. The 'Canes had to win Game 7... in enemy territory.

When the Volcano Blows

Game 7 in the NHL playoffs, there's jsut nothing like it. As I was exiled in Charlotte for the 2006 playoff run, I wasn't able to go to either Game 7 that the Hurricanes played in. Those games were both at home and this one was on the road. The Hurricanes had never played a Game 7 on the road since they moved from Hartford. The Whalers had never won a Game 7 in their history, either. All of the commentators were forecasting a low-scoring, tight-checking game reminiscent of the 1-0 Game 5. I flippantly remarked to Dawn and Ron on the way over to watch the game, "Watch the score be 4-3...".

Dawn, Ron, and I, along with Phillip and his wife, Jane, watched the game from the Village Draft House. The game started off with a bang, with Tuomo Ruutu (RUUUUUU!) scoring on an off-angle wrist shot. 1-0 good guys. Well, make that 1-1, as Jamie Langenbrunner almost immediately tied up the game. Later in the period, New Jersey took a 2-1 lead when the 'Canes gave up a bad 2-on-1 and Jay Pandolfo scored to make it 2-1 Jersey. Once the second period started, the Hurricanes applied pressure early. This bore fruit when Ray Whitney scored his third goal of the series. Of course, this made us very happy as Dawn and I were each wearing Ray Whitney Hurricanes shirts (mine was red and hers was black). Not too long after that, the Hurricanes took a penalty and the Devils converted the power play with Brian Rolston scoring the goal.

The rest of the second period was a back-and-forth blur. The Hurricanes had about a minute of 5-on-3 advantage but failed to score. The Devils had a 4 minute power play due to a Tim Gleason high sticking penalty. Thankfully, Cam Ward was able to keep it a one goal game. For the 'Canes, the third period could be described in one word, desperate. They really began to stretch out and go all out for the tying goal, knowing that if they didn't score, the game and their season was over. This offensive attack, however, left the 'Canes open to Jersey's counterattack. Cam Ward stopped multiple odd-man rushes, maintaining the one-goal deficit. As the clock ticked down, we kept waiting, waiting for something to happen, for someone on the 'Canes to be a hero... 5 minutes to go... nothing. 3 minutes to go... nothing. 2 minutes to go.... nothing.

The 'Canes had possession inside the Devils' zone with a little under 2 minutes. One of the forwards had the puck down low and passed it up to the point. Tim Gleason made a sliding stop and managed to shovel the puck over to Joni Pitkanen. Pitkanen then made a cross-ice pass directly to the stick of Jussi Jokinen who snapped the shot past Brodeur for a 3-3 tie! New Jersey couldn't weaze our Juss!!!! (That's a really bad Encino Man reference. Seriously, go watch the movie, you'll understand then). The Hurricanes had tied it up with 1:20 to go. At that point everyone was thinking, "well, this series has been so close, it's only fitting that Game 7 goes to overtime.". Well, with less than 40 seconds to go, Eric Staal took a feed from Chad LaRose up the right wing and let loose a wrist shot that went under Martin Brodeur's arm and in the net for a 4-3 lead. It was an improbable, nay, even impossible turn of events. The Hurricanes had scored 2 goals in the final minute and a half of a Game 7, on the road, against one of the greatest goalies in NHL history to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat (CLICHE ALERT!!!!).

After the game, Ron and I went to the airport to greet the team as they arrived back from New Jersey. While this was probably a creepy fanboy type of thing, it was the type of thing I couldn't do in 2002 or 2006 and it was pretty cool to see all of the 'Canes fans out there.

Wow, what a game, what a series, and what a week (and a half)! I got to go to a football game, a baseball game, a concert, and 3 playoff hockey games. I got to spend time with great friends and the love of my life. Not bad, says I....

Next up are the Easter Conference's #1 seed, the Boston Bruins. They're a great team, so the 'Canes have their work cut out for them. So now the Hurricanes are shipping up to Boston.... to find a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals!

Believe It!