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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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Carolina Hurricanes’ Eric Staal (12) celebrates his second goal of the game with teammates Ray Whitney (13) and Chad LaRose (59) against the New Jersey Devils during second period action in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Sunday April 26, 2009. (Photo by Chris Seward/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images)
Carolina Hurricanes’ Eric Staal (12) celebrates his second goal of the game with teammates Ray Whitney (13) and Chad LaRose (59) against the New Jersey Devils during second period action in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Sunday April 26, 2009. (Photo by Chris Seward/Raleigh News & Observer/MCT via Getty Images) /

The Shock at the Rock

Sticking with the theme of “games with names are iconic”, we now arrive at the Shock at the Rock. This game took place in game 7 of the first round of the 2009 playoffs. Matched up with the New Jersey Devils once again, Carolina had one of the most memorable minute and thirty seconds in franchise history.

Let’s set the stage. It was game 7, which typically needs no introduction, but this epic series deserves it. Game 1 and game 6 were the “worst” games of the series and saw each team take home a regulation win. Games 2 and 3 had overtimes to which both teams won a game.

Game 4 featured Jussi Jokinen scoring with 0.2 seconds left in regulation to win, the latest game winning regulation goal in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Game 5 saw a goaltender battle of the ages where Martin Broduer and Cam Ward combined to make 85 saves on 86 shots before the game was over.

The stage was now set for game 7, back in New Jersey’s Prudential Center – sponsored by Prudential Bank and their large rock logo (hence the “at the Rock” part of the name). The Devils carried a 3-2 lead heading to third and Broduer fought off the charging Hurricanes offense throughout the period.

With less than a minute and half left and Cam Ward on the bench, a puck was being cleared out of the offensive zone. Tim Gleason dove, kept the puck in the zone and passed the puck, all in one sequence, to Joni Pitkanen. Pitaken passed it through what looked like 56 people to find a wide open Jokinen who scored with a 1:20 left to tie it.

As the announcer was announcing the Jokinen goal, Eric Staal took a rush pass form Chad LaRose and beat Broduer with a wrister. The goal clinched the win and the series.

John Forslund, in the moment, said it was “one of the greatest comebacks you will ever see” as the Carolina Hurricanes turned a series lost into a series won in less than two minutes. So far, that statement has withheld the test of time.

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