Monday, May 06, 2002
Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 1
By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer
RALEIGH, N.C. — One series after facing Martin Brodeur, the Carolina Hurricanes are stuck trying to beat Jose Theodore.
Carolina defeated Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils by scoring just nine goals in six games in the opening round of the playoffs. If Theodore's play in the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals is any indication, the Hurricanes might not be getting many more goals than that.
The Montreal goalie stopped 45 shots and Saku Koivu had a goal and an assist Sunday, leading the Canadiens past the Hurricanes 4-1 Sunday night to even the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.
Theodore has stopped 82 of 84 shots in the two Carolina games and 158 of his last 163 dating to the Boston series.
“We don't want to be giving up those shots, that's for sure, but I guess that's the luxury of having an unbelievable goalie,” defenseman Sheldon Souray said. “He was amazing. When we needed him the most, he stepped up.”
On Monday, Toronto is at Ottawa with the series 1-1, and Colorado is at San Jose, also 1-1. On Tuesday, Detroit, up 2-0, plays at St. Louis.
Montreal lost Game 1 on Friday night 2-0, but jumped to a two-goal lead in the first period of Game 2, then watched Theodore turn back 36 shots over the final two periods.
Theodore's performance rivaled those of former Montreal greats Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy and left the Hurricanes a frustrated club heading to Canada for Game 3.
“We've got to find a way to get through,” Carolina coach Paul Maurice said. “He was great, but quite honestly, we expected that over the course of the series.”
Montreal was outshot 46-16 Sunday, but the Canadiens were able to solve Carolina goalie Kevin Weekes for two first-period goals — one on a great hustle play by Koivu — to quiet the crowd.
Weekes had two straight shutouts and a goals-against average of 0.90 in the playoffs entering the game, but couldn't come up big for a fourth straight game since taking over for Arturs Irbe in the New Jersey series.
Bill Lindsay sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal that covered nearly the length of the ice with 1:11 left.
Doug Gilmour's 60th career playoff goal on a power play 1:03 into the second gave the Canadiens a three-goal lead. Rod Brind'Amour's goal with 6.8 seconds left in the period drew the Hurricanes within 3-1 on a two-man advantage.
Erik Cole poked the puck past Theodore 1:33 into the third, but it clearly came after the whistle and was waved off by referee Mick McGeough. Carolina had several good scoring chances minutes later, but Kevyn Adams missed an open net short-handed and Theodore shut down Carolina's power play, which was just 1-for-8 without suspended Jeff O'Neill.
“Things tighten up at that point if that goes,” Maurice said of Adams' attempt.
Weekes had a franchise-record scoreless streak that spanned 143 minutes and 55 seconds before allowing a goal 7:25 into the first to give Montreal confidence.
Weekes got in front of what appeared to be a harmless shot from Sergei Berezin from the top of the circle. The puck dropped at his pads and the Carolina defense relaxed. That was all Koivu needed as he dug the puck out and flipped it past Weekes.
Koivu set up Montreal's second goal when he drew four Carolina players toward him as he skated down the right wing, then fired a cross-ice pass to a streaking Andrei Markov, who had joined the rush from his defensive position.
Markov made one move to get Weekes out of position and then backhanded the puck into an open side as he fell to the ice for his first career postseason goal.
Notes: Carolina fell to 9-20 in the playoffs against Montreal. ... The Hurricanes have scored just 12 goals in eight postseason games.
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Canadiens 4, Hurricanes 1
