Like a late-running racehorse, the Carolina Hurricanes thrive on playing from behind. Although not recommended in hockey, it has suited them well this season -- so well that Carolina is headed to the Stanley Cup finals for the second time in four seasons.
The Hurricanes scored three goals in the third period on Thursday night to take a 4-2 victory against the game but undermanned Buffalo Sabres in Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals.
The Sabres played valiantly without four of their top six defensemen -- Jay McKee, Teppo Numminen, Henrik Tallinder and Dmitri Kalinin. But Carolina, which trailed by 2-1 after two periods, rallied behind goals from Doug Weight, Rod Brind'Amour and Justin Williams.
"I was thinking that we'd been here so many times," coach Peter Laviolette said. "I don't think being down is something that scares this team. The third period has been our period all year, and I think tonight was another example of that."
The Hurricanes will face the Edmonton Oilers in the first Stanley Cup finals between franchises that started out in the World Hockey Association. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for here Monday night.
Of the six defensemen Buffalo dressed for Game 7, three -- Jeff Jillson, Doug Janik and Nathan Paetsch -- spent almost all season in the minor leagues.
"But those guys in the room are a special group that never used an excuse all year long," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Even tonight, they gave it everything they had."
The Sabres were less than 20 minutes away from advancing to their first Stanley Cup final since 1999 when Carolina received the tying goal 1 minute 34 seconds into the third period from the 35-year-old Weight, who is advancing to his first Stanley Cup final in his 14th season.
"It's behind me," said Weight, who had vowed to make amends for the penalty he had taken in overtime of Game 6 that led to Buffalo's winning goal. "I don't care about the goal, believe me. I care about winning. I'm excited to be going somewhere where I haven't gone yet."
Brind'Amour, Carolina's 35-year-old captain, who is still looking for his first Stanley Cup championship in his 17th season, then scored the series-winning goal on a power play at 11:22.
He did so with Brian Campbell, one of the Sabres' regular defensemen, in the penalty box for delay of game after he sailed the puck over the protective glass and into the crowd.
Campbell could only watch as Rory Fitzpatrick, who began the playoffs as Buffalo's seventh defenseman, could not find the puck at his feet in the slot before Brind'Amour hammered it home over goaltender Ryan Miller's right shoulder.
"I haven't played in a more back-and-forth series," Brind'Amour said. "You just never knew who was going to win until the final buzzer."
Williams capped the scoring with 51.7 seconds remaining. And the Hurricanes won the first Game 7 in franchise history since the Hartford Whalers moved to Carolina for the 1997-1998 season.
Buffalo's shortage of defensemen became more acute Thursday, as McKee did not accompany the Sabres here because of what Ruff called "just a freak infection."
McKee, the Sabres' best shot-blocker, sustained a cut to his left shin during their second-round series against Ottawa.
Ruff said McKee woke up at 5am Wednesday because of pain in the leg. "It's serious enough that he went to the hospital," Ruff said. "But I'm under the assumption that he'll be fine."
Paetsch, 23, who was playing in his second NHL game, replaced McKee and became the 13th Buffalo player to make his Stanley Cup playoff debut in this postseason.
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