How the Carolina Hurricanes Are Ruining the 2009 Playoffs

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The Carolina Hurricanes don't seem to know what is supposed to happen in the 2009 playoffs. It all started at the end of the regular season, when Carolina took the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference.

In the weeks leading up to the playoffs, the Florida Panthers were still in the race.  The Florida Panthers, one of the year's feel-good stories, who were finally going to see playoff action again. 

The Florida Panthers, who had stuck with star Jay Bouwmeester instead of trading him for future prospects, just because they believed that this was the year that they make a playoff run.

And Carolina ruined that.

Instead of falling out of the playoff race, the Hurricanes came storming back, winning nine of their final eleven games, including an overtime win over those Florida Panthers. But that's okay. 

As nice as it would have been to see the Panthers make the playoffs, none of us had delusions of Bouwmeester and company hoisting the Stanley Cup.  The team was just too young and too shaky. 

There were a handful of favorites in the Eastern Conference, but come playoff time, who bets against the Devils?  Martin Brodeur, Patrick Elias, and John Madden were the experienced core of a team that had found some stellar youth in Zach Parise, Brian Gionta and Travis Zajac. 

Clearly, the Devils were a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. And Carolina dared to reckon with them.

Because Carolina doesn't know how the hockey playoffs are supposed to work.

Game Four was a perfect example.  When two teams who have already played two consecutive overtimes are tied with under one second left in regulation, you're supposed to go to another overtime game.

And while we're on the subject, you're supposed respect a future Hall of Famer's space, even if it is outside the crease.

But Jussi Jokinen and the Canes were uninterested in what was supposed to happen.  Jokinen bumped Brodeur as the goalie came out to cut off the angle, then tipped in a point shot with 0.2 seconds left to tie the series.

Okay, fine, the Canes got lucky.  It happens. 

But, in Game Seven, you sure as hell better believe that the future Hall of Famer is going to beat you. Especially when that future Hall of Famer has a 3-2 lead with less than 90 seconds to go.

But Jokinen (again) put the puck in the net, sending the game to overtime.  Because that's what's supposed to happen when you score a tying goal with under two minutes to go

You regroup and go to the locker room and come out in OT and play your heart out. Except the game didn't go into overtime.

Because Eric Staal decided to make the game's greatest goaltender look like a rookie. Eric Staal wasn't supposed to do that.

But fine.  Cinderella got to have her fun at the ball, but the clock had struck midnight. 

The most successful team in the East, based out of the most successful sports city in America this millennium, was writing its own story.

After years and years of mediocrity, one of the Original Six was not simply back in the mix, but was looking to plow through the East and capture their first Cup since 1972.  The Boston Bruins would power through the series with this displaced team from Hartford, right?

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