Lightning Vs. Hurricanes: Carolina Eliminated From NHL Playoffs With 6-2 Loss

With their playoff destiny in hand and a home crowd behind them, it seemed impossible that the Carolina Hurricanes would show up and give up four goals in the first half of the game before even cracking the scoring column themselves? The Hurricanes lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning - who will go to the playoffs as the fifth seed - 6-2 at the RBC Center in Raleigh. Carolina out-shot Tampa Bay 43-33, and 16-5 in the third. Mike Smith made 41 saves in the victory for the Lightning. Because of this, the New York Rangers have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Dominic Moore got the game’s first goal after a Carolina penalty expired, as the Lightning came rushing up, and Steve Downie let a slapper go from the point. Ward made the first stop, but Moore followed up and tucked one off the post and in to make it 1-0 at 6:45. It was Moore’s 18th of the season, capping off what has been his best season offensively by far in a six-year career.

Lecavalier made it 2-0 at 11:19. Marty St. Louis stole a Jussi Jokinen pass in the Tampa defensive zone, and sent a gorgeous bank pass to breaking Lecavalier, who had a free break from the neutral zone. He came in and back-handed it through Ward’s five hole. It was Lecavalier’s 25th of the season, and put the Hurricanes on their heels even further as the period went on.

Another Tampa break-out made it 3-0. Simon Gagne was able to send Teddy Pucell away on a 2-on-1. Purcell waited for just the right moment. As Pitkanen went down, he slid it across to Steven Stamkos. While Stamkos has slumped of late, there’s no way he missed the chance he’d been given. Stamkos’ 48th made it 3-0 at 13:17, two goal in 1:58 for Tampa. Paul Maurice called a timeout in response.

Clark’s goal came at 10:53 of the second period. He took a pass from Vinny Lecavalier and just wristed one through a defender’s legs and past Ward, who certainly looked poor on that one, even if you couldn’t pin the other three Tampa Bay goals on him. It was Clark’s ninth of the season.

The Hurricanes got a 1:57-long 5-on-3 with seven and a half minutes remaining in the second period. Dominic Moore and Dana Tyrell took interference and tripping penalties at 12:29 and 12:23. Stillman skated in from the half-boards and wristed a shot that went off something in front and past Mike Smith took give the Hurricanes something to build on in the third period. Carolina’s now 1-for-5 on the man advantage, while Tampa Bay is 0-for-1, and didn’t get a power play during the second.

Mid-way through the third, Carolina started to make things interesting. The Canes did a solid job in the neutral zone to create a 2-on-1 for Chad LaRose. He walked in as Marc-Andre Bergeron - never noted for his defense - wilted and put it past Smith. LaRose got his 16th goal of the season at 8:33. The Lightning, however, regained their composure and controlled the next few minutes of the game.

The Hurricanes got a power play at 15:44 of the third period, as Dana Tyrell took another penalty. Carolina got a couple of good chances, but just couldn’t get the right combo. Carolina pulled Cam Ward with 3:08 left. With 2:16 to go, Simon Gagne threw one down the ice and in from his own zone, just as the penalty expired. The Canes pulled Cam Ward again, and Martin St. Louis put it in the empty net after Smith himself nearly put it in.

So, the Hurricanes are eliminated and the Rangers are in. I’ll be updating the playoff picture post at around 10:00 PM ET. Join me for that.