Historical Moments:
1997/98: After struggling in Hartford the Whalers moved to the Carolina changing their nickname
to Hurricanes, after the city of Raleigh agreed to build them a new state
of the art arena. However, while the arena in Raleigh was being constructed the
team would have to play 80 miles away in Greensboro. In their first season in
Carolina the Canes struggled to get acquainted with their new surroundings finishing
in last place with a 33-41-8 record. Making matters worse the Hurricanes
struggled to draw fans averaging less then 10,000 fans per game.
1998/99: Still struggling to draw fans in Greensboro, the Hurricanes being to escape the doldrums
that have surrounded their franchise for the better part of 10 years. Benefiting
form realignment the Hurricanes win the newly formed Southeast Division,
while ending a 7-year playoff drought with a 34-30-19 record. However in the
playoffs attendance was only slightly better as Carolina fans got their first
taste of playoff hockey as the Hurricanes split the first games at home against
Boston Bruins. After winning Game 3 in Boston the Canes would bow in 6 games
with 3 straight losses including a heartbreaking overtime loss at home in Game
5. The loss would soon turn tragic when Defenseman Steve Chiasson, is killed in
a one-car accident on the way home from the airport after the loss. Chiasson,
had been drinking on the flight home before crashing in the early morning hours
of May 3rd.
1999/00: After 2 years in Greensboro the Hurricanes permanent home in Raleigh was finally
ready. However the Hurricanes would have to wait a little longer to open their
new arena as they started the season with 9 straight road games posting a solid
4-2-3 record. On October 29th the Canes finally opened Raleigh Arena holding a
1-0 lead through 2 periods as Arturs Irbe made 23 saves against the New Jersey
Devils and Andrei Kovalenko scored the first goal. However in the 3rd period the
Devils would score 4 goals to spoil the Hurricanes opening night 4-2. The Hurricanes
still would have trouble drawing fans as they battled for a playoff spot
all season coming just 1 point short with a 37-35-10-0 record.
2000/01: The Hurricanes continue to make fans along Tobacco Road by posting a solid season
that seems them make the playoffs as the 8th seed with a record of 38-32-9-3.
However, in the playoffs the Hurricanes were beaten and battered by the New Jersey
Devils who jumped out to a 3-0 series lead. Meanwhile two Hurricanes (Ron Francis,
and Shane Willis) were knocked out of the series early by concussions on
hits by Scott Stevens. However, the Hurricanes would not quit winning Game 4
in overtime 3-2, and stealing Game 5 in New Jersey. However, in the end the Canes
would fall in 6 games as the Devils exploded for 5 goals in Game 6 back in Raleigh.
2001/02: Fortunate to be playing in the weakest division in the NHL the Hurricanes wins the
Southeast with a solid 35-26-16-6 record. In the playoffs the Canes were a considerable
underdog in a rematch against the New Jersey Devils. Goalie Arturs Irbe
was the star as the Canes won the first 2 games at home with twin 2-1 victories.
However, as the series went to New Jersey Irbe would struggle as the Devils
tied the series. Prior to a pivotal Game 5 at home Irbe was benched in favor
of Kevin Weekes. Weekes played strong, but the Devils had a 2-1 lead late in the
3rd period when Jeff O'Neil forced overtime in where Josef Vasicek delivered
a dramatic goal that gave the Canes a 3-2 series lead. In Game 6 Weekes would
come up strong again stopping 32 shots as the Canes won their first playoff series
with an exciting 1-0 victory. Moving on to the 2nd Round hockey fever had hit
tobacco road as the Hurricanes were selling out Raleigh Arena, even though a
large number of fans had been bought up by Montreal Canadiens fans who made the
trip down for the series. In Game 1 Kevin Weeks posted another shutout as the
Canes won 2-0,. However, Weekes would start to struggle as the Canadiens won the
next 2, and held a 2-0 lead after the 1st period in Game 4 in Montreal. Arturs
Irbe would take over in the 2nd period as the Habs lead grew to 3-0. Facing
a 3-1 series deficit it looked as if the Canes magic run was over, in fact it was
just about to begin. In the 3rd period the Hurricanes would score 3 unanswered
goals including a game-tying goal by Erik Cole with 51 seconds left, and the
goalie pulled. With new life the Canes evened the series in overtime as Niclas
Wallin scored the game winner. From there the Canes stormed on winning the
final 2 games by a combined 13-3 to reach their first Conference finals in franchise
history. In the Eastern Finals the Canes would drop Game 1 at home to
the Toronto Maple Leafs 2-1. However the Canes would quickly storm back to win
the next 3 as Goalie Arturs Irbe reestablished himself as the starter holding the
Leafs to 2 goals in 3 games. With a chance to close out the series at home the
Canes were smothered by the Leafs defense in Game 5 losing 1-0. Game 6 was another
tough defensive game, as the scoreboard remained blank until Jeff O'Neill
gave the Canes a 1-0 lead midway through the 3rd period. With time winding down
the Canes could taste the finals, but Mats Sundin even the game with just 42
seconds left sending the fans at Toronto's Air Canada Center into frenzy. However
the Hurricanes would regroup and put the Leafs away with a goal by Martin Gelinas
8 minutes in to OT. In the finals the Hurricanes were given no chance facing
the Detroit Red Wings. However, they would steal Game 1 in overtime on a Ron
Francis goal 58 seconds into the extra session. After the Wings took Game 2,
Hurricanes fans were in frenzy in Game 3 as the Canes held a 2-1 lead late in
the 3rd period. However, the Wings would tie it and force overtime, there the two
teams battled late into the night before Arturs Irbe was finally beaten by Igor
Larionov 14:47 into a 3rd overtime. It would be the last stand for the Hurricanes
would fall in 5 games after losing the next 2.
2002/03: Coming off a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals excitement and hopes were high
in Carolina for the Hurricanes. However, starting with a 4-1 loss to the New
York Rangers at home on opening night things would go bad. Although the Hurricanes
would rebound from their disappointing loss on opening night and held a solid
8-4-2-2 record on November 12th, it was only masking problems that lie ahead.
As late as December 22nd the Canes still held a winning record at 15-12-5-3,
but it would be the start of a downward spiral, as they won just 3 of their next
31 games, which included 22 losses that dropped the Hurricanes into last place
in the Southeast Division. The Hurricanes would go on a mini 4-game winning
streak in early March, but it would be only a temporary reprieve as the Canes
did not win another game losing 9 of their last 11 games to finish with a NHL worst
record of 22-43-11-6, for perhaps one of the most disappointing seasons in
NHL history for any team.
2003/04: Trying to rebound off their disappointing season the Hurricanes got off to a slow
start winning just 2 games in October. Clearly in a rebuilding mode all season
the Hurricanes were never a factor in the playoff race posting a record of 28-34-14-6
while finishing in 3rd place in the Southeast Division. Along the way they
began making way for the future trading Captain Ron Francis at the trading
deadline to the Toronto Maple Leafs for prospects.
2004/05: Season Cancelled Due to Lock Out
2005/06: Coming back from the lockout the Hurricanes were a team overlooked by everyone, little
did anyone know that the pieces were in place for a special year? With Rookie
Cam Ward and Veteran Martin Gerber splitting time in goal the Hurricanes got
off to a strong start, winning 8 of 11 games in October. As the weather cooled
the Hurricanes continued to play solid hockey skating through the first three
months with a solid 24-10-4 record. In January the Hurricanes made their move
to the top of the Eastern Conference winning 13 of 14 games as they held a remarkable
39-14-4 record at the Olympic Break. After the 16-day break for the Olympics
the Hurricanes continued to play solid hockey winning four straight when
adversity struck with a neck injury to Eric Cole, who was among the team leaders
with 30 goals and 29 assists. With Cole on the sidelines the Hurricanes only
managed .500 hockey the rest of the regular season. However their 52-22-8 record
was still good enough to win the Southeast Division and earn the second seed
in the playoffs, as Captain Rod Brind'Amour had one of the strongest seasons of
his career with 31 goals and 39 assists and a defensive presence that earned him
the Selke Trophy, while Erik Staal had a break out 100-point season leading
the Canes in goals (45) and assists (55). By the time the playoffs arrived Martin
Gerber had won the starting goalie spot and was in the nets for the start of
the first round series against the vaunted Montreal Canadiens. Through the first
two games the Canadiens appeared to be the second seed as they won Game 1 by
a score of 6-1. Gerber was shaky again in Game 2 allowing 3 goals in the first
period, before he was relieved by Cam Ward. The Hurricanes would comeback to force
overtime but the Habs too 2-0 series lead with a 6-5 win. As the series shifted
to Montreal Cam Ward started Game 3 and was brilliant allowing just 1 goal
on 28 shots as the Canes won 2-1. Ward was solid again in Game 4 as the Canes
evened the series with a 3-2 win. The series shifted back to Raleigh for Game
5 as Ward continued to be the stopped in a 2-1 win that gave the Hurricanes a 3-2
series lead, as they completed the comeback with a 2-1 overtime goal Cory Stillman
in Game 6. In the second round the Hurricanes faced another team with a
string playoff history in the New Jersey Devils, and grabbed the devil by the horn
right from the start winning 6-0 in Game 1. Game 2 would be much tougher for
the Hurricanes as Martin Brodeur was stopping just about every shot as the game
was tied late 1-1, when suddenly the Devils took a 2-1 lead with 21 seconds
left. Rather then be heartbroken the Hurricanes quickly refocused and tied the
game with 3 seconds left on a Erik Staal goal. With the RBC Center rocking the
Hurricanes would win in overtime on a goal by Niclas Wallin. The Canes would win
3-2 again in Game 4 to take a 3-0 series lead. After losing Game 4, the series
came back to Raleigh as the Hurricanes won Game 5 to advance to the Eastern Conference
Finals 4-1.
2005/06: In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Buffalo Sabres, the Hurricanes got off
to a shaky start dropping Game 1 at home 3-2. The Canes would bounce back to
win even the series with a 4-3 win in Game 2, but dropped Game 3 as the series
shifted to Buffalo 4-3. With Martin Gerber back in the net for Game 4 the Hurricanes
roared back to even the series with a 4-0 win as the Hurricanes defense
allowed just 22 shots. However, Gerber was shaky in Game 5 as the Sabres took a
3-1 lead early in the second period. Cam Ward would come on to relieve Gerber
again, and would not allow on 15 shots as the Canes battled back and forced overtime
where Cory Stillman played hero again to give Carolina a dramatic 4-3 win.
After a 2-1 overtime loss in Game 6, the Hurricanes roared into June and the
Stanley Cup Finals with 3 unanswered goals in the third period for a 4-2 win. Facing
the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals the Hurricanes were actually
considered the favorites to win. However, early on it looked as if the Hurricanes
would fall behind early as they trailed Game 1 late in the second period 3-0,
before Rod Brind'Amour finally beat Dwayne Roloson. In the 3rd period the Canes
would come out smoking as they tied the game with two goals in the firs five
minutes. The Hurricanes would then take the lead on a Justin Williams. The Oilers
would battle back to tie the game, but lost Roloson to a knee injury on a
collision by the net with 5 minutes left. As time wound down in regulation Captain
Brind'Amour played the role of hero scoring the 5-4 game winner with 32 seconds
left. Fired up the Hurricanes would dominated Game 2 winning 5-0. After losing
Game 3 in Edmonton 2-1, the Hurricanes rebounded to take a 3-1 series lead
with a 2-1 win. Carolina was ready to celebrate as the Cup was in the building
for Game 5. However, the Oilers would not go down without a fight as they forced
overtime where Fernando Pisani scored the game winner shorthanded on a breakaway.
Not even the surprise return of Erik Cole could energize the stunned Hurricanes
as they lost Game 6 on the road 4-0 in a flat listless performance that
forced a 7th game at the RBC Center. Game 7 saw the Hurricanes get off to a fast
start as they took a 1-0 lead just 86 seconds into the game on a goal by Aaron
Ward. A lead they would extend to 2-0 on a goal by Frantisek Kaberle in the
second period. However, things got tight at the start of the third period as Pisani
made it 2-1. From there the Hurricanes relied on Cam Ward who became the first
rookie goalie to win the Conn Smythe in 20 years as he would stop the Oilers
remaining 9 shots before Justin Williams clinched the cup and a 3-1 win with
an empty net goal with 61 seconds remaining.
2006/07: Coming off their surprise Stanley Cup Championship the Hurricanes hardly came out
of the gate storming as they didn't win any of their first four games. After a
poor October, the Hurricanes started to play better in November as they climbed
back over .500 winning 9 of 15 games. However, consistency would be an issue
all season as the Canes never went on the winning streak they had the year before
and found themselves on the playoff bubble. Down the stretch injuries would
play a roll as Goalie Cam Ward, who struggled all season was knocked out for a
month due to injury. The Canes would not recover as a three game losing streak
at the end of March had them on the outside looking in when the season ended as
they became the first team in 11 years to miss the playoffs the season after winning
the Stanley Cup, as they finished 3rd in the Southeast Division with a record
of 40-34-8. |
