The Canes were a buoyant group today as they boarded their charter flight at RDU, and why not?
They're making the trip they hoped to be making -- to Newark, for Game 7 of their playoff series against the Devils. They're coming off a 4-0 win Sunday in Game 6 at the RBC Center, their most complete victory of the series.
"Obviously it's exciting," forward Tuomo Ruutu said. "It was a big game for us yesterday.
"It's almost like it's a six-period thing and we're in the middle of the game and it's 0-0. Hopefully we can finish it off. But both teams are going to come hard and it will be who wants it more."
How much momentum will the Canes be taking into Game 7?
"I think it's always good when you play well," Ruutu said. "You can use that to your advantage the next game if you keep playing the same way. You can't be too cocky about it, though."
The Canes figure to be anything but cocky about it, not against the Devils. No team in the series has won two straight games and the Hurricanes franchise has never won a Game 7 on the road, going 0-3.
Canes coach Paul Maurice said there were no injuries in Game 6 and that winger Sergei Samsonov, who returned for Game 6 after sitting out Game 5 with a lower-body injury, came through the game well.
"He came back today as good as he felt yesterday," Maurice said.
Maurice said there would be no lineup changes from Game 6.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
