The Carolina Hurricanes were on the power play and seemingly had all the momentum going their way.
Then, seemingly in a flash, the Vancouver Canucks had a goal and had won the game.
The Canucks handed the Hurricanes one of their toughest losses of the season Tuesday night, winning 4-3 on Alex Burrows' short-handed goal with 1:22 to play at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The Canes, who trailed 2-0 after the first period, had forced a 3-3 tie early in the third on Eric Staal's power-play goal -- Carolina's second power-play score of the game.
Then, with 2:57 left in the game, Carolina was back on the power play after a hooking penalty against the Canucks' Mattias Ohlund and poised to open a three-game road trip with a victory.
The Canucks had lost their last eight games and had dropped nine straight at home. Carolina came into the game off a pair of victories fueled by shorthanded goals from Chad LaRose and Matt Cullen.
But aggressive play by the Canucks on the penalty kill led to Ryan Kesler -- who had a goal and two assists -- chipping a perfect pass to Burrows on a breakaway. Burrows backhanded the puck past goalie Cam Ward for his 12th goal of the season -- his third "shortie" -- and the Canes couldn't counter in the final 88 seconds.
"That's difficult to take," Canes coach Paul Maurice said.
For the Canes, it was a rough way to begin the West Coast trip, with the San Jose Sharks -- the Western Conference leaders and 23-2-2 at home this season -- up next on Thursday. Carolina dropped to ninth in the Eastern Conference, a point behind the Florida Panthers.
"If we don't make the playoffs, these are the games we'll look back on," Canes defenseman Joe Corvo said. "At least we've got to get a point out of this."
Staal and Corvo each had a goal and assist for the Canes. Joni Pitkanen scored a goal, Ray Whitney had two assists and rookie defenseman Bryan Rodney had an assist for his first NHL point.
Corvo and Pitkanen scored 25 seconds apart in the second period to give the Canes a 2-2 tie -- Corvo on the power play. But a goal by Mats Sundin late in the second pushed the Canucks back ahead 3-2.
After Staal's goal, his 22nd of the season, 33 seconds into the third period forced a 3-3 tie, the Canes appeared to take a 4-3 lead minutes later when Brandon Sutter redirected a shot. But the Canes' Ryan Bayda was penalized for goaltender interference on the play. No goal.
"I thought we had responded well to some adversity and thought we had made it 4-3, and we had to kill another penalty after that," Maurice said.
The Canucks, getting first-period goals from Kevin Bieksa and Ryan Kesler, were rolling along with a 2-0 lead and goalie Roberto Luongo looked sharp midway through the second. Then, things changed quickly.
Ohlund knocked Carolina's Justin Williams into the Vancouver bench with a big hit that could have been a penalty. With no penalty called, the Canes responded with more physical play, with Tuomo Ruutu immediately getting in a hit.
shot from the high slot at 2:21.
2-0. Ward didn't have the post sealed and Kesler was able to squeeze the puck through for his 12th goal of the season.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at 
Comments
Funny...
Thu, 02/05/2009 - 12:00 — jgrant641Loss=25 comments.
win= 5 comments
...an interesting fairweather bandwagon i think.
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last nites debacle
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 14:40 — dnc001sure there were lousy calls. But an interconferfence game requires you take the sure point amd go for the 2nd in OT. Babchuk pinching in ( he shouldn't have) and no winger rotating to cover his point is inexcusable. Let's not forget Eaves watching Sundin come around the net and never moving to cover him on their 3rd goal. The team effort was there, but we still make stupid mistakes that wind up in our net I've got bags under my eyes this AM and not a point to show for it.
What does this tell you?
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 14:21 — xpukguyCaniac Nation, we need to rise as one against the Charlotte News & Observer. Go to the Web site main page and try to find this game story. It is no where to be found. Unless you know where it's at, you have to dig around to view it. All there is is that nonsense that is football recruiting stories.
We are relagated behind a bunch of high school kids. Pathetic market. At least in Hartford, the story would be linked on the main page.
This is our team, our tradition!
3 years and counting
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 14:02 — ddolan2It is all about leadership. On the ice and off.It is time to hold the GM responsible. I know he is on the inside with the owner but come on! It is not personal it's business! Leave #17 alone he is hanging tough.Put some people in front of the net,don't wait until the end of the game. Watch some Red Wings, Devils, Ducks etc tape. Get a couple of non-playing 6ft 5 guys and pay them to just skate to the front of the net and stand there. We don't care what it looks like going in. Shoot the Puck!!!!!!!!!
I too
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 13:45 — esteban1949stayed up and watched a game that should have been played so it would have gone into OT. The 2 bogus calls and the one call that should have been for Williams in the bench trick. While what is done is done, but the canes front office should ask for a 'formal' review of that offical(s) . And have the officiating supervisory commitee look it over. The worst that can happen is "nothing", as for any disciplinary actions to the refs...i too was sad that we lost, and at least Ryan,Rodney are trying to add to the sucess of the Canes. It that had been me intead of LaRose, I would have been all over that ref like An earl weaver, or a billy martin would have been...come to think of it, lou pineta would have too! Maybe it's time to call up a couple of more rats and have them play like the "hanson's" hehehe...well one can dream can't I ? Go canes !!
Who we beat-Who we lose to
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:31 — in2jazzHate to say it, but this team is not built to win in todays NHL...yes, we are talented, but we lack the size and grit to beat teams period. We must have a large forward that can take hits in the crease and put the puck in the net. Look at our last 10 wins and who we beat: Lightning 2x, Thrashers 3x, Pens, Leafs, Devils, Blues, Canadiens. Only 2 of those teams are playoff teams-Devils and Habs. Look at our last 10 losses: Canucks, Rangers, Sabres, Leafs, Senators, Bruins 3x, Panthers, Wild. 8 of those losses were against teams ahead of us in the standings for the playoffs. We are not beating ANY quality teams, certainly not enough to get us into the playoffs and we have to play lights out to beat mediocre teams we should be beating. Mediocre vs Mediocre! Yes, it is all very frustrating as I am a huge fan. The pressure is now on to get a min of three points in our next 2 games. Will this team do that? Go Canes!
Agree with in2jazz
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 23:15 — abramsdougI agree with in2jazz's comments. It's very frustrating. Yes, we need a large wing to battle in the crease. It is time to bench Brind'Amour. He's -30. He has one goal in over thirty games. He is taking stupid penalties. He was awful on the faceoffs last night. He is a complete liability to the team; but everybody shared the loss last night. Brind'Amour just did his usual part to help sink the game.
Justin Williams
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:15 — Algie17How about that last push to Justin that landed him over their bench????? NOT COOL.........
You People are Ridiculous
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:51 — burnstockYou people have got to be the most over-critical fans I have ever heard! Yes, there were some bad calls, and yes there were some dumb plays on our part, which may have cost us the game. It is unfortunate that we let a point slip away but as someone said above, that has to fall on the coaches now...every point is valuable with 30 games left. The Canes need their true fans going to the games and cheering them on to the playoffs. Game 7 is tomorrow night in San Jose!
Want it!
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:36 — coultersI know the reffs were bad, some real bad calls against the canes, but if you want it bad enough mmm, they should have won that game!! Vancouver is not that good of a team and if you can,t beat Vancouver your not going to make the playoffs! Florida beat Toronto last night and I think they are playing much better then the Canes Guess why they beat toronto? (Stillman) Thats right! Boy it would be nice to have him back in the line up, if he was back I could tell you right now Staal would be scoring a lot more goals!!
Not a good team??
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:36 — HockeydogThe Canucks are a good team that hasn't been playing well.
Having your offensive minded defenseman take a chance and not fall back is what lost the game. That and Cam Ward not being familiar with the shooter. Otherwise a good competitive game that was fun to watch. With nobody really making a push to take the final spot on the playoffs up to this point this team still has a chance. A couple of calls didn't go the Canes way but he effort was there.
Good comment. Agreed.
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 22:21 — caneshockeyfanGood comment. Agreed.
A Team Less than the Sum of Its Parts; Golfing this Spring
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 13:02 — abramsdougUnfortunately, the Hurricanes are a team that is less than the sum of its parts. It's a team that on paper is better than its performance; but more fundamentally wrong with the team is the team's overall inability to win crucial games against .500 teams or lower. One can assess all the reasons why the Hurricanes fail to win these games; but in the end, it's a team problem. I watched Florida last night against Toronto and Florida is now playing like a team that really wants to win and that knows how to win. I wish I were surprised that the Hurricanes couldn't close the deal last night; but I'm not. It's very predictable. It's a pattern of behavior for a team that desperately needs a leader to emerge who refuses to let his team lose. Looks like the Hurricanes will be perfecting their golf game this Spring.
Was that Babchuk's fault?
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:50 — caneshockeyfanWas that Babchuk's fault? Maybe in part for the first pinch, but the breakaway looked to me more like Pitkanen's error. He had a choice: play the puck or angle off the deep man. He chose the puck and lost the race. Obviously a bad decision, no matter what the score is or how much time is left. And WTF was that slash after the final whistle? A bad ending to an otherwise competitive game.
On another note, and I never thought I'd say this, I give Maurice a lot of credit. He's making this team about as competitive as it can be.
One more thing, I love Ruutu, but if he's gonna run around he's gonna have to answer the bell every now and then.
Don't blame Babchuk
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:49 — rmmeliShouldn't the blame be directed to the coach/coaches who put those five out there? Maybe no one mentioned to them that one point is better than none....
Gotta Love the Cardiac Canes...
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:49 — mokimanoThat was Canes hockey at it's best last night...stupid, predictable and of course...another loss!!!! Sigh...what a "Defense" that the master Jimmy Rutherford has assembled huh? Joni and Anton showing what they are made of on that PP...classic Canes follies yet again...you have 3 minutes left on the road in a 3-3 tie, your given a power play...and you still managed to find a way to lose the game...brutal but expected from this bunch!
Coaching
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 10:42 — NetMinderOn the road ... on the power play ... tied at 3 with 2:57 left. What do you tell your D? Stay at home. STAY AT HOME! Win it on a deflected bomb from the blue line. Take it to OT, bag the point and win the other point in the shoot-out. But don't ... whatever you do ... give up a shortie and skate off the ice with zip. Mo, what are you thinking? This one's on you.
coaching?
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 11:56 — HockeydogThe idea that Mo can control a players split second decsion is absured. I'm sure Maurice didn't tell Pitkinen to gamble on a pinch in. That is a split second judgement call a defenceman should be able to make at this level. And since they were on a PP, you put your most offensive minded D- men out there.
I really would love to see the 'Canes record...
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:58 — RaisinCane.. against teams with sever losing streaks! It seems that every game where a team is about to fire someone for a big losing skid beats the 'Canes.
While I want the 'Canes to make the playoffs I really cannot see this team making it beyond the first round with the players we have. If Cam Ward is not HOT we lose! Where is Samsonov? Williams? We all know Roddy is completely out of step and not playing to his previous levels!
I don't have the answers just the questions! Pitiful again!
Agreed on all points. To
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:39 — dustinlammersAgreed on all points. To play aggressive is one thing but when you've come back twice in the game to be tied and on the PP with less than 3 minutes remaining, it's okay to play safe for 1 point. Having Babchuk and Pitkanen on the same PP unit makes no sense to me, I realize it's because of injuries but two guys who pinch hard shouldn't be on when the game is at hand.
The reffing was brutal, living in Western Canada and watching a fair share of Western games I thought those calls were bogus and not consistent with other games reffed. To disallow that goal because Bayda was driven in is complete crap, if Luongo had stretched out and made the save, no penalty would have been called. He gets the benefit of the doubt on any kind of traffic and it's crap.
The penalty on LaRose was the same thing, just a stupid penalty to call against anyone. And to top it all off to review the play where Vancouver crashed the net and pushed Cam and the puck in. Vancouver threw an awful lot of picks/rubs against us that lead to the 2nd goal which should be called. Embarrassing!
I thought the top 2 lines had a lot of jump and played well, Rodney showed me something last night as well. I think Cullen was our best forward and Gleason our best defensemen. We'll need a yeomans effort to be close with San Jose on Thursday.
Still disappointing to stay up until midnight for that result...
Ugh...just a few selfish thoughts.
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:29 — whirligigThat last PP was as sloppy as it gets for us. Brindy, too, looked rough. The worst part, though, is that Vancouver is not a good team, and we're barely up to their level. If we can't win three in a row, or beat a solid team, then what chance do we really have? I'm feeling very "Major League" at this point. Why would we really want to secure the eighth spot only to face Boston who would crush this team in its current configuration? I know I'm a cynic. But obviously we need much more "shaking up" at the top and down the middle, and I would hate to eek out a spot only to have that be some sort of validation of things as they are. This team needs size. We need some trades.
Had to vent.
Actually Two Bad Calls
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:28 — WAStoutBayda on the waived off goal was pushed into Luongo by the defense...
LaRose was slammed from behind into Luongo on his breakaway...I thought Cool...a penalty shot for LaRose...what the...
You are not going to get the calls in a game in Canada.
Or if that is the rule, you should always push an offense player into your goalie if he is standing there, especially on a powerplay...they'll waive off all the goals!
Cure for an 8-game losing streak, play the Canes.
Goalie Interference?!
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:20 — wpack87The thing that still has me mad is the goalie interference call! That goal was good and to wave it off when it was clear that the Canuck Defenseman pushed .... was it Ruutu, into Luongo. Anyway the NHL should allow those plays to be reviewed. Maybe even allow the coaches to have one challenge a game .... like in pro football. If it could have been reviewed in Toronto, maybe those people would have seen the injustice?! Then again, wouldn't want some southern American team to get ahead or tie a Canadian team, would we???
Bogus Call
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:08 — schelle92Who else thinks that the call on Chad for goaltender interference was not only bogus, but ridiculous in the extreme. I guess that referee didn't see that invisible Canuck push Chad for about 10 feet right into Luongo. Must've had his referee cloaking device on.
That call
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 12:18 — scomilThat call on LaRose was one of the worst I've ever seen in any game, regardless of the teams involved.
Babchuk is a liability
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 03:15 — MrKnockoffWith coverage like that on the last power play, they'd might as well send out 5 forwards. That pinch was stupid, and then to shoot it wide for a long carom up the boards. I can't believe I stayed up for that. Great game up until the last powerplay, but that really sucked.