Big goals, huge win for the Hurricanes

Talk about sudden victory.

The Canes have beaten the New Jersey Devils in dramatic fashion before in the playoffs. Remember Eric Staal's tying score with three seconds left in Game 2 of their 2006 series, in a game the Hurricanes would win?

But this was Game 7. This was with their season on the line. This was Staal scoring a game-winning goal never to be forgotten, with 31.7 seconds left, giving the Hurricanes a 4-3 victory.

"That's why he gets paid the big bucks," Canes winger Chad LaRose said with a big smile.

But don't forget LaRose. He had the primary assist on the winning goal, absorbing a hit from Devils defenseman Colin White to get the puck to Staal, open on the right wing.

"I saw White coming and I just threw it through his legs to Staller," LaRose said. "He had good speed coming up and found the back of the net.

"It's over and done with. Pretty amazing."

First, Jussi Jokinen tied the score 3-3 with 1:20 left, taking a Joni Pitkanen pass and whipping a shot past goaltender Martin Brodeur. Call it Finn-to-Finn combination.

Defenseman Tim Gleason also was a big part of the scoring play, going low to the ice, reaching out and poking the puck to Pitkanen on the left point.

Jokinen scored the game-winner in Game 4 with two-tenths of a second left and had another goal in the Canes' 4-0 win in Game 6. Now this.

"Gleas made a great play to get the puck to Joni," Jokinen said of Gleason. "Joni had his head up and he knows I'm right there.

"We've been doing that play since we were 14 years old. Great pass by Joni."

And, Jokinen said, a great feeling to win the series. The Canes move on, facing top-seeded Boston in an Eastern Conference semifinal series that begins Friday at the TD Banknorth Garden.

"I don't think we're satisfied with this," Jokinen said. "We'll be ready for Boston."