Game 5: Devils 1, Hurricanes 0

I wonder what would have happened with Brodeur if that long shot fired at the empty net by the Canes had gone in. I'll bet he would have snapped again. He looked like he was seriously hurt until he realized there wasn't going to be a penalty called and then he miraculously healed and raced back to the net and dove. I think the Canes made a big mistake by not continuing to go at him.

I love the Canes, after the first half of this season, I was glad to see how they turned things around, but as much as I hate to say it, this series was lost last evening. It was a great effort by our guys, but the irony is that by perturbing Marty in the 4th game, we may have awakened a sleeping giant. I'm not going to be a homer about the goaltending, to say that Ward out-played Marty as some have suggested is idiotic. Not to mention that whatever one thinks about game 4-and that was a great ending-Ward got out-played by Marty in that game. If not for Brodeur, that game would have been 6 or 7 to 0 by the end of the second! Brodeur made 42 saves in that game as well, and the shots he faced in that game were more difficult than the ones Cam faced. He was peppered with 37 shots in 2 periods! Cam is great, I love the guy, but I think sometimes we rely upon just him, WAY too much!! And Staal needs to quit whining about non-calls and get up after a hit and get involved. Ruutu is one of the hardest working players on the Canes, if not the hardest! Ruutu has been the most consistent player on our team all year and that includes Cam Ward! I'll be at Sunday's game and I think and I hope we win. I just don't think we'll win the series. I checked into the records for the NHL, primarily, but also for MLB and the NBA, do you know what percentage of the time a road team wins a seventh game in the Cup Playoffs? 7% of the time, and that's lower than MLB and only 2 points higher than the NBA. Remember in 2006 during our run to the Cup, those were home seventh game wins. I'm just trying to be a realist is all, I'm proud of our team, but if I had to put money on this series, my bet would be placed on the Devils. They're the better TEAM.

What the heck was up with that? I would NEVER put in Kaberle over Babchuk. And I agree with several posts that Staal just didn't show up last night. During the playoffs you can't half-a$$ your way through a game.

That was one was one of better goal tender duals, both were great. I'd argue Ward saw a little more quality than Brodeur, but in the end the score board is what matters. I thought PM's line swaps in the 2nd period were great, they changed the dynamics of the matchups that Sutter wanted and definately played to our advantage. Key for Sundays game gotta be throw it at the net early and often. Canes win in 7.

Would have been nice for the Canes to have a chance to win the series at the RBC. Overall, the Canes played a pretty good road game and could just as easily won. I agree with the comments below that they didn't forecheck nearly as well as they did in game 4. They also didn't play the body or crash the net as well either.

It was a good game but it's frustrating that the one goal scored came on a power play brought about by a dive (albeit a good one - academy award is on it's way). The way the goalies played in this one, it deserved to go to OT 0-0.

It was a knock down drag out goalie duel for sure. And yes the Canes had several chances. but i saw a couple of things the cane had been doing but didn't very often tonight.
1: They didn't crash the net. There was No one at or near the net most of the time, when the canes were able to get and keep it in the devils end of the ice.
2. Not enough fore checking or hard body contact making NJ pay each time they got the puck in the canes end of the ice.
3. While the devils were getting tired as the canes appeared to have "fresher legs" than the Devils in the later stages of the 2nd period and into the 3rd, the canes were sadly out played and out passed by the devils despite the efforts of both teams shooting over 80 shots combined at each others goals.
yes the canes did a good job, but the things, the simple things that got them to the play offs was missing more often than not in this game. it should have been 2-1 canes tonight going back to the RBCC...but that's the way the puck spins,slides and flutters across the ice at times isn't
it ??? So all you fans who can afford to do so..get your booties out there sunday...and raise dah roof !!!
Or it will be a long summer and we, the fans will have to sit and wait to see during the off season who will stay, and who goes..and just how many of the 13 Albany River Rats, will share the same fate for the 09-10 season.
Go Canes !!!

I'm sure I would feel differently had we won, because it was a defensive gem. I agree that out shots were routine and easy to read, while theirs were in close, second chances, and difficult to stop. Even with our general shot-on-goal numeric advantage, it didn't feel like we were outshooting them because most of ours were top of the circle, no rebound, or no tip. Quite frankly, I feel lucky this game, nay, this series is as close as it is. And yet it's so simple to figure out why the Canes suffer so....

The power play. With Staal's mediocre play a distant second.

We had so much success down the stretch precisely due to a rejuvinated power play. Those big blasts from Babchuck and, to a lesser extent, Corvo, would often be a goal or generate a second chance at one. Were we even 20% on the power play the series would be 3-1 us. Often, the pp is how you solve a hot goalie. Case in point, it was the only reason they scored on Cam tonight. And Babchuck was such a lynchpin to all this. Where was he tonight? And why was he late to a home playoff game? Something is happening re: Babchuck that we are not hearing about. And it's killing us.

At least the Hurricanes have their backs against the wall at home. I agree with the comments that our shots were not all that tough for Brodeur compared to what Ward dealt with.That has been something that has happened many times since they moved here...a ton of shots, but nobody on that night to finish. We have made back up goalies look like Jacque Plante at times over the Years. Brodeur is a hall of famer..but the Hurricanes have found ways to frustrate him and catch him off guard. That has got to happen Sunday. I never care much about the power play issue during the Year..but if they win Sunday..they have got to convert on the power play. It was part of the difference tonight for sure. We need some bombs from the defense and some tip ins. New Jersey has played the same style for ever..look at the darn film coaches and have a plan and some tricks up your sleeve Sunday. I thought the effort was outstanding tonight...but as they say.."If you think you are working hard..work harder"
Canes in 7..