RALEIGH, N.C. -- The din rattled, pounded, rung the ears, and then dwindled to a lonely gasp. The decibel level measured 114 at half past eight, as loud as a jet plane, and gradually dropped all the way to single digits by half past one -- as quiet as 25 players in red screaming in exultation.

And in the Hurricanes locker room, you could hear a win drop.

The 'Canes played a masterful Game 3 -- backstopped by a goalie in the game of his life and cheered into the wee hours by a riotous throng. It was the perfect storm, and still the home team capsized vs. Detroit in three overtimes, 3-2.

How can Carolina possibly recover from this?

"I don't know how you do," whispered Kevyn Adams. "But you do. Physically, the adrenaline gets you up. But mentally is another story."

How does Arturs Irbe pick himself up after allowing shot No. 53 to sail over his prone body, knowing that he outplayed Europe's best goaltender in the third-longest game in Stanley Cup finals history?

Irbe was simply amazing. He stuffed Pavel Datsyuk on the night's prettiest play after the Russian had nutmegged two defenders and deked Irbe to the ice. He dove to deny Steve Yzerman after a brilliant pass from Brendan Shanahan.

The Red Wings hit the post five times, and hit the goaltender an even 50. Irbe had the Hall of Famers shaking their heads on the bench and looking skyward in disbelief. The little man had the mighty Red Wings beaten. It was the single best goaltending performance in this year's playoffs.

And now he must do it again. This time with the Red Wings smelling blood.

But it's not just the team that must come back for more. It's the entire giddy town of Raleigh -- so Cup Crazy on Saturday, but so weary now.

They began tailgating Saturday at four in the afternoon. They filed inside with their face paint and signs: "Southern Fried Octopi!" and "Beating the Wings is Better than Aunt Bee's Sweet Potato Pie!" They filled the cement concourses with Ric Flair whoops and "Let's Go 'Canes!" chants. They posed with the Prince of Wales Trophy. And they exploded as their team took a 2-1 lead into the last two minutes of the game.

And then they saw Brett Hull flick his wrists and smirk. Tie game -- with just 74 seconds left in regulation.

Then the fans turned and slumped out into the concourse.

"I can't believe it," one said. Raleigh native Brian Cookson sprinted through the hallways trying to get the fans back into it. "No one wants to scream anymore?" he yelled. "Are we just going to give the Cup to the Red Wings? Can I get a 'Hell Yeah'?"

No one said a thing.

Overtime began, and the Entertainment and Sports Arena felt like a library. The Wings peppered Irbe with shot after perilous shot, urged on by a distant and poignant "Let's Go Red Wings!" from deep in the cheap seats. The scoreboard operator tried to help: "I know you're nervous," the Jumbotron blared, "but y'all gotta make some noise!"

Very little came. Those towels -- reminiscent of the Homer Hankies waved by Minnesota Twins fans a decade ago -- now flung about like white flags of surrender.

Irbe was incredible after regulation -- stopping 24 shots -- but the momentum was lost. The 'Canes had, like their fans, exhausted themselves. Carolina had outshot Detroit 14-13 through two periods, but then was outshot by the Wings 27-12 in the next 40 minutes. The Hurricanes seemed to get a second wind at the stroke of midnight, but Igor Larionov's game winner quelched that.

Afterward, a raccoon-eyed Paul Maurice walked alone down a dark corridor to the Carolina locker room.

"It's a tough loss," he said, almost to himself. "We'll grieve for the appropriate amount of time."

And again, how can Carolina recover from this?

"Well, we don't have to play tomorrow," Maurice said.

But Maurice was wrong. By then it was almost 2 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Eric Adelson is a staff writer for ESPN Magazine. E-mail him at eric.adelson@espn.com.