Devils Struggle & Get Lost In A Hurricane

HURRICANES 4

DEVILS 3

This is turning into a very difficult series for the New Jersey Devils. After holding both a 1-0 and 2-1 series lead against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Devils just can't seem to be able to put their thumb down on the feisty Carolina team. For the second time in the series, Carolina came back to win a game and tie the series, this time at two to send it back to Jersey for game five, Thursday night.

Carolina got off to a fast start, as Eric Staal and Ryan Bayda scored successive goals in just over a minute apart to take a 2-0 lead over the shell shocked Devils. Martin Brodeur was really put the test in this game, having to defended against 46 different shots on goal but was only able to save 42 of them, not good enough to help his team win the game.

Brodeur's opponent, Cam Ward, got off to a very good start, shutting out the Devils for almost two hole periods but struggled late in the game. With Carolina up 3-0, Brian Gionta scored his second playoff goal of the series to get the score to 3-1 before the second period ended. The Devils used that late momentum to put a charge through their own team and make things very difficult for Ward and the Hurricanes. Brendan Shannahan scored 4:21 into the third to cut the lead to one, then a little more than four minutes later, David Clarkson scored to tie the game at three.

But that was not enough for New Jersey. With less then a second left in regulation, Jussi Jokinen scored the game-winning goal for Carolina to tie the series at two apiece. A crushing blow that could change the momentum of this series. BOX SCORE.