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Devils finally dispatch Hurricanes
Randy McKay celebrates a two-goal performance that led the Devils into the second round of the NHL playoffs
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The Carolina Hurricanes have been downgraded to tropical depression after the New Jersey Devils battened down the hatches and finally closed out their Eastern Conference quarter-final with a decisive 5-1 victory in Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday.
FULL STORY
THE
SERIES SO FAR:
GAME 1: Devils pound Hurricanes
GAME 2: Devils dump 'Canes
GAME 3: Devils shut out Canes, knock out Francis
GAME 4:
Brind'Amour OT hero for Canes
GAME 5:
Irbe, Canes back in series
GAME 6:
Devils finally dispatch Hurricanes
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Arturs Irbe -
If it wasn't for Irbe, the Carolina Hurricanes wouldn't have even stood a chance against the Devils. Yet again, the small netminder was outstanding, stopping 34 shots in the loss.
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Randy McKay -
McKay played the role of agitator in Game 6. The big forward was a constant thorn in the Hurricanes side all game long as he stirred up trouble, parked himself in front of the net at every opportunity and scored two goals.
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Playoff record:
Home:
1-2
Road:
1-2
Power play: 10.7% (3 for 28)
Penalty
killing: 91.6% (22 for 24)
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Playoff record:
Home: 2-1
Road: 2-1
Power play: 8.3% (2 for 24)
Penalty killing: 89.3% (25 for
28)
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| Ron Francis
(mild concussion) |
| Shane Willis
(mild concussion) |
| Marek Malik
(groin injury) |
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| Ranked
8th in the East
Record: 38-32-9-3
88 points
212 GF 225 GA |
The
'Canes barely squeezed into the playoffs, clinching their second
post-season berth in just 10 years with a win over Atlanta in
the second-last game of the regular season.
Maybe it's fitting that the 'Canes scrambled into the post-season
this year because it seems that virtually everything in Carolina
was hanging by a thread this season.
With exception of a breakout performance by Jeff O'Neill,
who led the team in scoring with 41 goals and 67 points, Carolina's
offence was dismal at best, managing just 212 goals, worst
among playoff teams.
Coach Paul Maurice felt the heat as well. Although he wasn't
exactly playing in a high-pressure environment, it was rumoured
that his job was in jeopardy. A berth in the playoffs assured
that he is coming back next season.
Much of the credit for the 'Canes success this year should
be attributed to goaltender Arturs Irbe. The 34-year-old Russian
was simply the 'Canes best player, appearing in a league-high
77 games and giving his team a chance to win on more than
one night.
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| Ranked
1st in the East
Record: 48-19-12-3
111 points
295 GF 195 GA |
The
New Jersey Devils capped a brilliant Stanley Cup run with an
equally impressive performance in the regular season.
Just in case other teams weren't noticing, the Devils served
notice that they fully intend on defending their Stanley Cup
championship, progressively getting better as the season went
on and finishing the year by claiming the top spot in the
Eastern Conference with a team record 111 points.
Along with the Colorado Avalanche, the Devils are favoured
to win the Cup this year. Based on their performance in the
regular season, it's an honour the team deserves.
With Jason Arnott and Scott Niedermayer unsigned to start
the season, the Devils stumbled out of the gate in October,
but quickly gained momentum when the two joined the team in
November.
The Devils have been criticized in the past for being too
defensive and concentrating on the neutral zone trap, but
this year has been different as four balanced scoring lines
have given the team a depth that's the envy of the league.
As a result, New Jersey led the league in scoring with 295
goals.
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| The
Carolina Hurricanes must feel like the proverbial lambs being
led to the slaughter.
Given how the New Jersey Devils have been playing leading
up to the defence of their Stanley Cup title-- just two losses
in their last 20 games --- no one wanted to face the best
team in the Eastern Conference.
But if Canes coach Paul Maurice can take any positives from
a first round match-up with the Devils, it's that his team
played well against New Jersey in the regular season.
With the exception of an 8-3 loss in early March, every game
against the Devils was tight and the work of the Canes special
teams was especially impressive.
Up against one of the best penalty killing units in the league,
the Canes drew 21 penalties and scored five power-play goals,
at least one in each game.
The Devils struggled and had just 11 power plays in the series,
failing to convert on each opportunity.
Devils
won series 2-1-1
Oct. 27, 2000: New Jersey 3 @ Carolina 3
Nov. 18, 2000: Carolina 2 @ New Jersey 3
Feb. 23, 2001: New Jersey 2 @ Carolina 3
March
2, 2001: Carolina 3 @ New Jersey 7
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Harry
Neale:
New Jersey
is clearly the best team in the East," and that means Carolina simply
has no chance. The Devils boast four solid lines - "all can hurt
you" and goaltender Martin Brodeur is playoff-proven and "awfully
impressive."
Carolina's Arturs Irbe can be tough to beat, but he's not capable
of stealing this series from the Devils. Ditto for sniper Jeff O'Neill,
whose terrific season will end in the first round. "I don't give
Carolina a glimmer of hope."
New Jersey in 4 | |
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