Staff photo by Chris Seward

BOSTON — Things were orderly in the Canes' locker room Sunday night. The players and coaches quietly packed up their gear for the flight home. No one was muttering or seemed overly upset.

The Canes had just been blanked 4-0 by the Bruins in Game 5. The Bruins, who faced elimination with a loss, were quicker, better, more determined. But the Canes, who had won three straight, still lead the series 3-2.

"It wasn't our best," center Eric Staal said. "One game, it's the playoffs, we get to go home in front of our fans and hopefully get the job done in six. We need to regroup, refresh and look forward to Tuesday."

See a gallery of photos from game 5 between the Hurricanes and Bruins. Staff photos by Chris Seward.

Staff photo by Chris Seward

BOSTON — Facing elimination in the second round of the playoffs, on the brink of an embarrassing end to their season, the Boston Bruins got two goals from Phil Kessel and a shutout from Tim Thomas in a solid 4-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Banknorth Garden Sunday.

The sixth-seeded Canes still lead the Eastern Conference semifinals 3-2, and Game 6 will be played at the RBC Center on Tuesday night. But the Bruins, the top seed in the East, have lived to play another day.

BOSTON — Bruins defenseman Mark Stuart sat in front of his locker today after the morning skate, trying to make sense of it all.

The Bruins led the Eastern Conference with 116 points. They're top-seeded in the East in the playoffs. Yet, here they sit, trailing the Hurricanes — a team they beat four times in the regular season and 4-1 in Game 1 — 3-1 in the series, a game away from elimination.

"We haven't played our best, we know that," Stuart said, echoing the comments of several of his teammates and coach Claude Julien.

But why?

"That's a good question," Stuart said.

BOSTON — The Canes came into their series with the Bruins tagged as the underdogs.

What about now, with a 3-1 series lead?

"We came in as underdogs because we are," coach Paul Maurice said today. "Points-wise, the best team is left in the playoffs and we're in a stronger position that I guess we may have even thought coming into Game 4.

"But everybody's got a challenge in every game. The Bruins have one tonight. So do the Hurricanes. We have to come in and not only prepare ourselves for a team that's going to come out and not leave anything, they're going to give it all tonight, not that didn't try last game.

"We all have given it all every night."

BOSTON — All it takes, Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas said, is one good shift. Then turn that into more and into a good period. Then turn that into a good game and a victory.

Win one, then two. Then three. Win the series.

"We finished first in the conference this year but it wasn't all smooth sailing," Thomas said after today's morning skate at the TD Banknorth Garden. "There were some rough times. Sometimes it just takes one game to get out of it.

"Win this one game and the pressure can turn. ... It can become a big snowball thing."

Canes coach Paul Maurice said today that forward Ryan Bayda, slowed by the flu, would not make the trip to Boston for Game 5 against the Bruins.

Bayda was held out of Game 4 and replaced in the lineup by Tim Conboy.

"Ryan does in fact have the flu and we didn't want to put him on a plane," Maurice said. "Hopefully we can get him well soon."

Maurice said he was pleased with Conboy's play in the Canes' 4-1 win Friday, noting, "He's reliable defensively and he's not looking to fight. He played smart hockey."

If the Boston Bruins were a "desperate" team before Game 4, what are they now? What's the right word?

The Bruins were given a day off by coach Claude Julien on Thursday to rest, reflect, refocus. They talked after the morning skate Friday of the need to outfight and outwork the Canes in Game 4, to square the series and take it back to Boston.

Instead, a 4-1 loss to the Hurricane has left them down 3-1 in the series, one loss away from elimination, and all but dumbfounded.

"I think our team has probably picked the worst time of the year to play their worst hockey," Julien said.

Canes forward Ryan Bayda will miss tonight's game against the Bruins because of an illness, coach Paul Maurice said this afternoon.

Bayda, who has two goals and an assist in the playoffs, will be replaced in the lineup by either Tim Conboy or Patrick Dwyer, Maurice said, noting it will be a game-time decision.

"Ryan had a rough night last night but is feeling better," Maurice said. "We didn't want to risk it, so he will miss tonight and we will go from there."

Dwyer is one of the "Black Aces," players added to supplement the roster if needed in the playoffs.