Friday, Apr. 20 7:30pm ET
Irbe's 37 saves help 'Canes cut deficit to 3-2
RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – It's time for the New Jersey Devils
to start worrying about the Carolina Hurricanes and Arturs Irbe.
Really worry.
|  | | There was a lot of traffic sent Arturs Irbe's way, but the Carolina goalie made 37 saves to stop the Devils in Game 5 on Friday. |
Irbe stopped 37 shots and the Hurricanes refused to call it a
season for the second straight game, beating the defending Stanley
Cup champions 3-2 Friday night.
The win cut the Devils' lead in the best-of-seven Eastern
Conference first-round series to 3-2 with Game 6 set for Sunday in
Raleigh, N.C.
"They have the momentum, there is no doubt about that," said
Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, who faced 14 shots. "It's
important for us to go out there and play well. If we match the
effort, we'll be fine. But these guys are playing desperate and
it's paying off for them."
Irbe agreed after the Hurricanes earned their second straight
one-goal win after being dominated in the first three games of the
series.
"These two games we've been fortunate, we were able to play our
best hockey," Irbe said. "We just figured out a way to scratch
and claw and get hard-fought wins."
Josef Vasicek, Sami Kapanen and Jeff O'Neill scored for the
Hurricanes, who are trying to become only the third team in NHL
playoff history to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Toronto Maple
Leafs did it in 1942 against Detroit and the New York Islanders did
it in 1975 against Pittsburgh.
"We started to believe in ourselves after we won Game 4,"
Hurricanes defenseman Glen Wesley said. "We've built some
confidence in ourselves and the style of game we have to play."
Scott Gomez and Bobby Holik scored for the Devils, who lost
consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 22-23.
New Jersey, the top seed in the conference, finished the season
winning 19 of 21 regular-season games, and then it dominated the
eighth-seeded Hurricanes in taking a 3-0 lead in the series.
"They still have to win two games," said Patrik Elias, a
40-goal scorer who has just one goal in the series. "As good a
team as we have, we are not going to let it happen."
New Jersey gave away Game 4, playing undisciplined in a 3-2
loss.
Irbe stole Game 5, making at least a dozen great saves. Holik's
goal with 20 seconds left only made the score close.
"Arturs is outstanding right now," Kapanen said. "He made
some unreal saves during the run for the playoff spot. That's the
way he is playing right now."
Kapanen, who set up Rod Brind'Amour's game-winner in overtime in
Game 4, put the Hurricanes ahead for good with a shot from close
range with 4:51 left in the first period.
Bates Battaglia got the puck along the left boards, sent it
behind the net to Brind'Amour, who found Kapanen all alone in front
for a 2-1 lead.
O'Neill took advantage of a Devils' turnover in center ice to
extend the margin to 3-1 at 5:47 of the third period. The 41-goal
scorer took a pass from Sandis Ozolinsh and rifled a shot past
Brodeur.
Holik scored from the right faceoff circle late but it wasn't
enough to prevent a Game 6.
"If you look at it again and see some of the saves he made and
the opportunities we had to score, you could probably say he (Irbe)
stole it," Holik said.
Vasicek gave the Hurricanes the lead with a lucky goal at 10:53
of the first period. The rookie from the Czech Republic took a shot
from the left circle that deflected off the skate of Devils
defenseman Scott Niedermayer and went through Brodeur's legs.
Niedermayer, who missed much of the final period of Game 4 with
a sore right knee, made up for the mistake with a great rush. He
took a pass from Sergei Nemchinov near the Carolina blue line,
skated into the zone and behind the net and set up Gomez for the
tying goal 48 seconds later.
Game notes
C Ron Francis (concussion), RW Shane Willis (concussion)
and D Marek Malik (groin) all stayed in Carolina to recuperate.
Hurricanes spokesman Jerry Higgins says Francis and Willis are
doubtful for Game 6. ... Devils veteran D Ken Sutton took part in
pre-game skate but was scratched when Niedermayer was able to go.
... One matchup that guarantees a hit almost every shift is O'Neill
and Devils D Ken Daneyko. ... Vasicek had eight goals in 76 regular
season games. The rookie has two in five playoff games. ... The
crowd of 19,040 was the third straight sellout at the Continental
Airlines Arena.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Carolina Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
Hurricanes-Devils Series Page
Carolina's Francis, Willis 'doubtful' for Game 6
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Josef Vasicek's shot trickles past Martin Brodeur off the skate of Brian Rafalski, and gives Carolina a 1-0 lead.
avi: 1023 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Rob Brind'Amour finds Sami Kapanen for the one-timer and the 2-1 lead.
avi: 752 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Jeff O'Neill skates across the line puts the slap shot in for the much-needed insurance goal.
avi: 1064 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
Scott Gomez gets just enough stick on the puck to square the game at 1 in the first period.
avi: 1309 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN'
'Cable Modem
 A tired Arturs Irbe is happy to be heading back to Carolina with a victory.
wav: 537 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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