Pleasant surprise

Upsets of Bruins, Flyers give 'Canes home ice in the East

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Carolina wasn't picked to beat the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the NHL playoffs. The odds were even longer the Hurricanes would be the top seed in the Eastern Conference in May.

But that's where the Southeast Division champions find themselves after the top two seeds -- Boston and Philadelphia -- were upset in the opening round.

"It just proves that the playoffs are a different story and predictions are really worthless," Carolina goaltender Arturs Irbe said Tuesday.

Carolina earned the third seed for the first round by winning the Southeast with 91 points, then moved up in the reseeding process after beating the Devils in six games, and the Bruins and Flyers were ousted.

"You always think teams like that are going to follow through with things," forward Martin Gelinas said. "They have great quality players, but they just couldn't put it together. You obviously need some chemistry and you need the breaks."

The Hurricanes also would have the home-ice advantage in the East finals if they beat the Canadiens, who knocked out the Boston Bruins.

No first-round results in the East should have been classified as shockers, considering top-seeded Boston and No. 8 seed Montreal were separated by just 14 points in the regular-season standings.

"Every team is so even," Carolina defenseman Sean Hill said. "I felt Boston and New Jersey were the best teams in the East. Now, it's basically a free-for-all.

"You know, of all the teams that are left, us and Montreal are the two teams most people wouldn't think would be here. But one of us is going to make it to the Eastern finals."

Hill, who won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993, believes there's no reason Carolina can't be that team.

"We all believe we can do this and we understand we've got a unique opportunity this time," Hill said. "A lot of the top teams are gone. We can't get too far ahead of ourselves, but we realize something special is available right now."

Kevin Weekes, the goaltending hero of Carolina's series win over the Devils, agreed.

"The main thing is we're here," Weekes said. "We can't be too concerned with who is here and who isn't here."

Games 1 and 2 against Montreal will be Friday and Sunday at the Entertainment and Sports Arena, where the Devils were 0-3 in front of rowdy crowds. The best-of-seven series shifts to Canada next Tuesday.

Carolina has had trouble with Montreal and goalie Jose Theodore the last three seasons. The Hurricanes were a combined 2-6 against the Canadiens in two seasons before going 1-1-2 this season. Theodore had a .940 save percentage against Carolina this season.

While Montreal is the most storied franchise in the NHL, the Hurricanes have won just two playoff series, last winning 16 years ago before polishing off the Devils in six games over the weekend.

"We're not going to be nervous," left wing Jeff O'Neill said. "We're simply just looking forward to this."

Carolina will look to 39-year-old captain Ron Francis, who won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, to keep emotions in check and maintain a business-as-usual atmosphere on the ice.

"There are different ways of leading," Francis said. "I'm not somebody who is going to force my thoughts or ideas down anybody's throat. Part of the process is to let guys find their own way a little bit. The guys in that locker room are full of character. They know how to prepare."

 

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