Oilers back in running

Edmonton figured out a way to beat Cam Ward, and now the Oilers are right back in the Stanley Cup finals with a 2-1 win over Carolina on Saturday.

Ryan Smyth wouldn't be denied as he powered in front of the net to knock in a rebound with 2:15 left in the third period, giving the Oilers the victory and cutting the Hurricanes' lead in the series to 2-1.

"The puck went off Cam Ward and I guess it hit my shaft," Smyth said. "I don't really remember. I remember it hitting my chest and crossed the line. It was a gritty goal, but we'll count it."

Jussi Markkanen, the replacement goalie for injured Dwayne Roloson, stopped 24 shots and had the crowd roaring his name with several big saves -- a striking contrast to the regular season, when he was regularly booed as the Oilers struggled to find a reliable stopper in the nets.

The Oilers scored 2 1/2 minutes into the game and zealously guarded the lead until Rod Brind'Amour tied it up with 10:51 remaining in the third.

It was left to Smyth to prevent Edmonton from falling into a virtually insurmountable hole in the best-of-seven series. The team's leading goal scorer during the regular season, he was held without a point in the first two games of the series.

He finally broke through after Ward blocked a shot by Ales Hemsky but couldn't control the rebound. Smyth fought through the defense, got some part of his stick or body on the puck and managed to barely get it over the line.

Ward a whack at Smyth's legs as the Edmonton player stood over him in triumph. The Oilers had to temper their celebration while officials took a look at the replay, but they allowed the goal to stand.

A deafening horn went off and silver streamers dropped from the rafters.

"There's not a prettier goal in our view," Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said.

Cheered by a raucous crowd that waited 16 years for the Stanley Cup finals to return to northern Alberta, the Oilers came out aggressively and got just what they needed -- the first goal.

Jaroslav Spacek unleashed a slap shot from just inside the blue line and Shawn Horcoff, getting free of Carolina defenseman Bret Hedican in the slot, managed to deflect the puck past Ward.

The Oilers thought they had another goal late in the second period. With the Oilers short-handed, Ethan Moreau knocked the puck away from Doug Weight behind the Carolina goal, came right out front and took several whacks at the puck with Ward sprawled on the ice.

An replay showed the puck between Ward's legs, clearly uncovered. But referee Mick McGeough lost sight of it and blew his whistle just before Moreau tugged the puck out and flipped it over the goalie, prompting silver streamers to fall from the rafters -- prematurely, as it turned out.

The Oilers protected the lead until Brind'Amour scored. Cory Stillman cut off the puck behind the net and whipped a pass to Brind'Amour in front of the net.

His first shot caught Edmonton defenseman Jason Smith in the chest, the puck going right back to Brind'Amour, who fired another quick shot over Markkanen's right shoulder to silence the fans.

Otherwise, the replacement goalie stopped everything that came his way.

"I saw the puck well," Markkanen said. "A lot of credit goes to the forwards coming back to help."

Ward, the first rookie in 20 years to record a shutout in the finals, returned to his hometown hoping to give the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead. Cheered on by his parents from their regular seats in section 102, he made 28 saves and couldn't be blamed for either of the goals.

But the Oilers played a much tighter game in front of Markkanen, providing hope of pulling off another playofff surprise. They upset three higher-rannked teams to become the first No. 8 seed to reach the finals under the current playoff format.