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Carolina Hurricanes: Top Stanley Cup Playoff Moments

By Robert Leonard

RALEIGH, NC - JUNE 01: Rod Brind'Amour #17 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his game-winning goal in front of teammate Justin Williams #11 during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2006 NHL Playoffs on June 1, 2006 at RBC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes won the game 4-2 and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - JUNE 01: Rod Brind'Amour #17 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his game-winning goal in front of teammate Justin Williams #11 during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2006 NHL Playoffs on June 1, 2006 at RBC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes won the game 4-2 and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – MAY 16: Martin Gelinas #23 of the Carolina Hurricanes has his shot stopped by Curtis Joseph #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during game one of the Eastern Conference Final series of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes at the Raleigh Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina on May 16, 2002. (Photo by Craig Jones/Getty Images/NHLI)
RALEIGH, NC – MAY 16: Martin Gelinas #23 of the Carolina Hurricanes has his shot stopped by Curtis Joseph #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during game one of the Eastern Conference Final series of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes at the Raleigh Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina on May 16, 2002. (Photo by Craig Jones/Getty Images/NHLI) /

Martin Gelinas

By this point in the 2002 playoffs, Carolina is starting to feel like a team of destiny. They survived New Jersey, had the amazing comeback against Montreal and were scoring big goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference Finals. The next step, get to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Carolina won three of the first four games before dropping game 5 1-0. Heading back to Toronto for a second chance to win the Prince of Wales trophy, Carolina broke a scoreless game midway through the third off the stick of Jeff O’Neil.

Much like most of the series, the team down was able to score with an extra attacker as Mats Sundin finally solved Arturs Irbe – who was now the starter again – to send the game to overtime.

Deep into overtime, Josef Vasicek got a loose puck in the corner and threw it to the middle of the ice. Sitting there to receive it and wide open was Martin Gelinas who fired it past Curtis Joseph to send the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Finals.

This moment gave us Steve Levy from ESPN providing one of the of the most memorable lines in franchise history. It was so simple, yet so beautiful.

“Martin Gelinas in sudden death overtime! And it’s strange but true. Folks, the Carolina Hurricanes are going to the Stanley Cup Finals.”

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