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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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BOSTON – MAY 14: Eric Staal #12, Scott Walker #24 and Dennis Seidenberg #4 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after beating the Boston Bruins in overtime in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 14, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON – MAY 14: Eric Staal #12, Scott Walker #24 and Dennis Seidenberg #4 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after beating the Boston Bruins in overtime in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Banknorth Garden on May 14, 2009 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Game 7, Round 2, 2009

2009 was a little different playoff run for the fans of the Carolina Hurricanes. The team was still only a few seasons removed from a Stanley Cup and success in the playoffs started to feel almost guaranteed. A round 2 match up with the Boston Bruins proved to be much more than Carolina bargained for.

Carolina rode a franchise tying best nine game win streak in March to vault up the standings. They matched up with New Jersey in round one (more on that later) before running into a Bruin team that had swept Carolina in the regular season outscoring the Hurricanes by 12 in their four match-ups.

Carolina jumped out to a 3-1 series lead before losing game 5 and game 6. However, the story heading to game 7 was not the typical “game 7, winner goes to the Eastern Finals” type narrative.

Scott Walker in game 5 got into an altercation with former Hurricane Aaron Ward and was fined, but not suspended. His availability to play in game 7 – back in Boston where game 5 occurred – was the big story.

Milan Lucic scored late in the third as game 7 headed to overtime. On a rush, Ray Whitney fired the puck at Bruin goalie Tim Thomas. The puck bounced off his pads right on to the tape of guess who: Scott Walker.

Carolina would move on the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in just seven seasons. But all the magic the Scott Walker goal generated was quickly stopped as the Pittsburgh Penguins swept the Hurricanes on route to their Stanley Cup Championship.

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