2002 Carolina Hurricanes

[c9777666]

The 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes have been debated and discussed a lot on History of Hockey, but I figured their other Cup Finalist deserved a thread of its own because I think they were a way bigger anomaly than 2006.

They were the complete opposite of 2006- a not-so-gaudy record (35-26-16-5 compared to 52-22-8), winning a much weaker Southeast Division (2006 also had TB make the playoffs, ATL barely missed, FLA had a decent season.

The 2002 Hurricanes had 91 points- for perspective, the 2005-06 Thrashers had 90 points and missed the playoffs.

This team had a goal differential of 0 (217-217), 1 30-goal scorer (Jeff O'Neill, who had scored 41 the year before), 1 70-point scorer (Ron Francis).

If the 2006 team was defined by Martin Gerber being on the right side of reg. season goalfests and Cam Ward in the playoffs, this team still had Arturs Irbe- but Tom Barrasso of all people started 34 games!

I hear a lot about how the 2006 team caught a lot of playoff breaks (Koivu's eye, Sabres injuries), but the 2002 team I felt caught almost as many breaks if not more.

They won a first round playoff series vs. the Devils in the midst of 3 East Titles in 4 years despite being outscored in the series but winning 2 OT squeakers and a 1-0 game 6 road shutout.

The second round against Montreal.... Therrien, game 4, Molson Miracle, Gilmour shattering the glass. Need I say more?

The third round against Toronto..... they basically benefitted from the division winner home-ice rule, which oddly doesn't affect the Cup Finals (where in 2000, Dallas won their division but second place Atlantic New Jersey got home-ice because of a better record) by winning a bad division whereas Toronto barely got edged out by Boston in a much tougher Northeast Division (4 playoff teams, Buffalo only missed by 5 points).

The Cup Final against Detroit, though..... despite 4-1, they put up a way better fight against the Wings than anyone thought. They were basically in that series until Shanahan's empty netter (Game 2 was tied with 6 minutes left in the third and even game 4 was still a 1-0 game midway through the third)

They were a classic OT team, winning six OT games.

And they did it with a goalie platoon- Kevin Weekes (who won 0 reg. season games) got them to the finish line against New Jersey before Irbe took them the rest of the way.

And despite a mediocre record, they not only got a 3 seed despite the 7th best record in that conference, they had a worse record than non-playoff 90+ point Dallas/Edmonton teams, and when the 1-2 seeds in the East got upset (Boston/Philly), they had home ice up until the Finals!

At least the 2006 team earned their home-ice advantage as a real 2 seed.

Plus, even that 2006 team came at least had a better showing the next few years (Only missed the playoffs by 4 points in 2007, improbably got leapfrogged by Team Ovy in 2008, a shocking run to the 2009 East Finals).

This team? Dead last in 2003, not much better in 2004.

Maybe they're not as revered as the 1994 Canucks/2006 Oilers in terms of Cup cinderella runs, but if anything their lack of dominance and knack of winning close games made them compelling in their own way.

 

[c9777666]

If anything, I thought the 2002 Canes were the complete antithesis of the 2011 Canucks- very undominant during the regular season, but not a shaky team when the chips were down, healthy in the playoffs.

 

[HisIceness]

I still have a lot of fond memories of that team. That was the year the Canes became my #1. That was the first time that a Carolinas-based team won their side of the conference and advanced to the championship round, everyone thought it would be the Panthers but instead it was the forgotten about NHL team that somehow plopped down in Raleigh without notice.

Weekes OT save on Madden in game 5 was incredible but it was the 'Miracle at Molson' that I knew they were bound for the Finals. Thats still one of my favorite moments as a Canes fan. They just kept girding and clawing and throwing everything at Jose Theodore knowing he would crack. Game 5 of that series the fans did the 'Ole' chant as time was winding down. The Toronto series, I still get goosebumps watching Gelinas score that OT winner.

Unfortunately they ran into the revamped juggernaut that was Detroit. They did manage to steal game 1 and could have pulled out game 3 but Brett Hull had other ideas. Still looking back at it, a couple of traditions started that season. Tailgating and meeting the team at the airport, the airport thing isn't original but tailgating before a hockey game wasn't something that was common. Ron Francis mentioned that he arrived early at the arena one day and was surprised to see people grilling and playing corn hole at 2 pm for a 7pm Hockey game.

That was also the season I learned about how territorial some are regarding the game of Hockey. I remember reading a message board in which fans of Toronto and Montreal complained that some "Southern team" was ruining an original 6 ECF and Stanley Cup Final. As a new Hockey fan at that time I didn't understand what the big deal was, but the more they kept winning, the angrier they got and the funnier it became. After the Toronto series, someone hung a banner over the ESA (PNC Arena) that read something like "Thanks for the Hockey lessons Canada!". Oh boy Leafs fans when they found out about that were pissed

I really don't remember why they sucked the next season. Weekes I believe got hurt in December but the Canes led the SE at that time too, and then it was as if the bottom dropped out. I guess it worked out in the end because they got the #2 pick and drafted the player they really needed at that time in Eric Staal who was a big part of the 2006 Cup and 2009 run.

 

[blood gin]

As a Devils fan they infuriated me because they got all the luck and all the breaks while we had nothing go our way that series.

I will give them credit they did skate well and they played extremely hard. They also did the little things well. Faceoffs, sticks in lanes etc. But I just hated that weak "charging" penalty on Holik in Game 5. They tied it up late and of course win it on OT after a superhuman save by Weekes on Richer. That's the sort of breaks they got.

That Devils team straightened things out but Langenbrunner and Nieuwendyk didn't make the immediate impact that was expected. They were adjusting to a new coach after Robinson's ouster. The A-Line was ripped apart. A mainstay like McKay faded and was traded. Sykora had a bad injury and could barely skate. They seemed mentally fatigued a bit and the Hurricanes played fast and loose.

 

[McGarnagle]

I remember the year before when they snuck into the playoffs at the 8 seed on a tiebreaker with the Bruins. The Devils jumped out to a 3-0 lead, then the Canes wouldn't go down and took it to the 6th game before getting beat.

There was something scrappy about that team that wouldn't quit. I also remember the Canadian fans in Montreal and Toronto getting all worked up over a team from a non-traditional market knocking them off in consecutive rounds. And they gave the Red Wings more of a fight than anyone thought.

 

[blood gin]

I remember the year before when they snuck into the playoffs at the 8 seed on a tiebreaker with the Bruins. The Devils jumped out to a 3-0 lead, then the Canes wouldn't go down and took it to the 6th game before getting beat.

There was something scrappy about that team that wouldn't quit. I also remember the Canadian fans in Montreal and Toronto getting all worked up over a team from a non-traditional market knocking them off in consecutive rounds. And they gave the Red Wings more of a fight than anyone thought.

At the end of game 3 Scott Stevens crushed Shane Willis with an open ice check and that sort of woke 'em up a but. They played well in game 4 and deserved to win. Though it was an evenly played OT squeaker.

Game 5 the Devils just kicked their tails all over the ice. Outshot them 39-14. Yet still lost 3-2 due to a bunch of flukey BS.

Carolina's shot totals for that series were

18
18
16
31 (OT Game)
14
15

It was as lopsided a 6 game series as you'll ever see. Really it should've been called after 3.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

I think of Ronnie Francis, Josef Vasicek, Glenn Wesley (in 2002...how many seasons had he played at that point? He had to be maybe 37-38?), I remember that Francis was actually older than Paul Maurice (maybe Paul Maurice was like 35 at that point?) Jeff O'Neill was maybe comparable to a Brendan Shanahan.....the big power forward who could score etc. And then the BBC line...I think the Wings neutralized that line to the point where it was broken up maybe halfway through the series etc.

 

[Buffalowing1988]

If anything, I thought the 2002 Canes were the complete antithesis of the 2011 Canucks- very undominant during the regular season, but not a shaky team when the chips were down, healthy in the playoffs.

You're spot on. I moved to Charlotte in 97 and got into the Canes right after Hasek left. Still a Sabres fan, through and through, but it was really cool to make the short trip up for these games with my dad. I probably went to 12 that year, including playoff games, and I just remember how they could roll lines 1-4 so well. This was a different era in that there were some really great super teams, but that was just a fun group to root for. Outside of 06 (when I hated them for personal reasons), I have always found the fans and the area to be great. But yes, 02 was a good team with foundational depth and a strong leadership core that was not going to be knocked off easily.

 

[Big Phil]

I am a Leaf fan here, and my bias might come out, who knows, we are all human. But hockey in general missed a great opportunity and that was a Leafs/Red Wings Cup final. Tell me that isn't something to see? I remember being ticked off when Ottawa led us 3-2 in the series (thanks to Alfredsson's goal where he hit Tucker from behind seconds earlier) and I just thought how typical it was of the Leafs to lose this series when they have a team like Carolina (or even Montreal) waiting for them in the semis. For sure that means a trip to the final right? Only if we get past Ottawa. Well we did, and then a very irritating series against the Hurricanes happened.

It is one of those series where you know you are the better team but you don't prove it on the ice or in a series. Joseph was never a good goalie the deeper it got into the playoffs but even more so he was never suited to be that goalie who stopped 15-20 shots a game. He was always at his best when he needed to stop 40. But Carolina had - at best - a pop gun offense.

They won though, what can you do?

 

[LeafsNation75]

I am a Leaf fan here, and my bias might come out, who knows, we are all human. But hockey in general missed a great opportunity and that was a Leafs/Red Wings Cup final. Tell me that isn't something to see? I remember being ticked off when Ottawa led us 3-2 in the series (thanks to Alfredsson's goal where he hit Tucker from behind seconds earlier) and I just thought how typical it was of the Leafs to lose this series when they have a team like Carolina (or even Montreal) waiting for them in the semis. For sure that means a trip to the final right? Only if we get past Ottawa. Well we did, and then a very irritating series against the Hurricanes happened.

It is one of those series where you know you are the better team but you don't prove it on the ice or in a series. Joseph was never a good goalie the deeper it got into the playoffs but even more so he was never suited to be that goalie who stopped 15-20 shots a game. He was always at his best when he needed to stop 40. But Carolina had - at best - a pop gun offense.

They won though, what can you do?

I said this before and I will say it again. I still can't over the Leafs losing the Hurricanes in 2002 because on paper the Leafs were a much better team and in the regular season they had 9 more points in the standings. Who knows if the Leafs injuries were finally catching up to them and it was very ironic that when Mats Sundin returned to the line when they were up 1-0, they lost Games 2, 3, & 4 to go down 3-1. Although Games 2 & 3 were OT losses and it's a 50/50 chance in that situation.

I do wonder if Toronto had home ice if things would have played out differently? I know the Hurricanes won the Southeast and got the #3 seed, where as the Leafs were the #4 seed with 100 points and missed out on the #1 seed to the Bruins by 1 point. Still home ice helped them when they defeated the Islanders and Senators that year.

 

[CaptBrannigan]

I am a Leaf fan here, and my bias might come out, who knows, we are all human. But hockey in general missed a great opportunity and that was a Leafs/Red Wings Cup final. Tell me that isn't something to see? I remember being ticked off when Ottawa led us 3-2 in the series (thanks to Alfredsson's goal where he hit Tucker from behind seconds earlier) and I just thought how typical it was of the Leafs to lose this series when they have a team like Carolina (or even Montreal) waiting for them in the semis. For sure that means a trip to the final right? Only if we get past Ottawa. Well we did, and then a very irritating series against the Hurricanes happened.

It is one of those series where you know you are the better team but you don't prove it on the ice or in a series. Joseph was never a good goalie the deeper it got into the playoffs but even more so he was never suited to be that goalie who stopped 15-20 shots a game. He was always at his best when he needed to stop 40. But Carolina had - at best - a pop gun offense.

They won though, what can you do?

"Hockey in general missed a great opportunity..." Holy smokes these are the sourest grapes I've ever tasted on HF. What a joke.

 

[c9777666]

One noteworthy thing about the 2002 Hurricanes was how they responded to adversity.

After getting outscored 7-1 in 2 games at New Jersey to even up the series, they tied it up late in game 5 and the Vasicek OT winner.

Game 6 on the road, a chance to close out a series where the home team had started 5-for-5, Kevin Weekes of all people throws up a 1-0 shutout.

Game 4- after a game 3 OT loss (Their only OT loss in the East playoffs), down 2-1, on the verge of going down 3-1, Molson Miracle. Basically changed everything.

Game 2 vs. Toronto- They had already lost game 1 at home and given up a late tying goal, on the verge of going down 0-2 heading on the road, regroup in OT.

Game 6 at Toronto- After losing a chance to clinch the series at home 1-0 despite outshooting Toronto 28-19 on a banked in goal, they're up 1-0 late in the third period when Sundin tied it. Again, everything seemed to be going against the Canes, but they found a way.

Cup Final, game 1- everyone thought this series would be a formality, Detroit-Colorado was basically the Cup in the eyes of many. Spot Detroit a pair of 1-goal leads and respond. Then they had to kill off a power play with 1:42 left in regulation. Then overtime. Then Francis.

They lost the next 4, but.......

Game 2 was tied late in the 3rd with about 5 minutes left in regulation until Detroit struck for 2 goals in 13 seconds.

Game 3- triple OT.

Game 4- Even that game was 1-0 after 2 periods and still only 2-0 until 5 minutes remained.

Game 5- Fell behind 2-0, but Jeff O'Neill cut it to 2-1 with less than a minute left in the second period. Only when Shanahan scored that late empty-netter did they finally put away Carolina for good.

 

[AD Skinner]

That triple OT game really seemed like the backbreaker to me. I think had the Canes managed to squeak that one out it could have gone 7. Not saying they would have won but it was a much closer series than 4-1 against a team of hall of famers makes it sound

 

[Big Phil]

"Hockey in general missed a great opportunity..." Holy smokes these are the sourest grapes I've ever tasted on HF. What a joke.

Well, didn't they? I'd say the same thing about the Penguins/Avs potential Cup final in 1996. Toronto and Detroit would have been a star studded affair and a true "highway series" as there is one major road between the two cities. It would have been good for old time's sake. Yeah I think it is safe to say that a Toronto/Detroit Cup final is more memorable than the one we got in 2002.

 

[Pocket Hercules]

I am a Leaf fan here, and my bias might come out, who knows, we are all human. But hockey in general missed a great opportunity and that was a Leafs/Red Wings Cup final. Tell me that isn't something to see? I remember being ticked off when Ottawa led us 3-2 in the series (thanks to Alfredsson's goal where he hit Tucker from behind seconds earlier) and I just thought how typical it was of the Leafs to lose this series when they have a team like Carolina (or even Montreal) waiting for them in the semis. For sure that means a trip to the final right? Only if we get past Ottawa. Well we did, and then a very irritating series against the Hurricanes happened.

It is one of those series where you know you are the better team but you don't prove it on the ice or in a series. Joseph was never a good goalie the deeper it got into the playoffs but even more so he was never suited to be that goalie who stopped 15-20 shots a game. He was always at his best when he needed to stop 40. But Carolina had - at best - a pop gun offense.

They won though, what can you do?

Except Joseph did play well in the '02 playoffs. The problem was that Arturs Irbe played even better.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Well, didn't they? I'd say the same thing about the Penguins/Avs potential Cup final in 1996. Toronto and Detroit would have been a star studded affair and a true "highway series" as there is one major road between the two cities. It would have been good for old time's sake. Yeah I think it is safe to say that a Toronto/Detroit Cup final is more memorable than the one we got in 2002.

They will never come out and admit it but I'm sure the NHL would have wanted a Toronto/Detroit Stanley Cup Final a lot more than Detroit/Carolina.

I'm sure they also would have preferred Toronto/Colorado as their 2nd choice.

 

[tarheelhockey]

All threads about Hurricanes playoff successes go basically the same way.

 

[Big Phil]

Except Joseph did play well in the '02 playoffs. The problem was that Arturs Irbe played even better.

From a statistical perspective he did. But with all of those overtimes I would have liked Joseph to pull out a stop or two.

All threads about Hurricanes playoff successes go basically the same way.

Yeah, guilty as charged. The Hurricanes are that sort of franchise that are hard to get behind. You never hate them, you just have trouble revering them. Part of it is just how bad of a franchise they've been since their Cup win in 2006. Not to mention before that as well. The Canes win the Cup in 2006 but miss the playoffs every year since then other than 2009, including this year barring a miracle.

 

[LeafsNation75]

From a statistical perspective he did. But with all of those overtimes I would have liked Joseph to pull out a stop or two.

I don't know about you but I always thought right before Jeff O'Neil scored the overtime goal in Game 3, it looked like Sami Kapanen clearly tripped Alyn McCauley right in front of the net and I remember screaming where's the penalty?

 

[Big Phil]

I don't know about you but I always thought right before Jeff O'Neil scored the overtime goal in Game 3, it looked like Sami Kapanen clearly tripped Alyn McCauley right in front of the net and I remember screaming where's the penalty?

Good eye.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Good eye.

Thank you and I take it by your reply you agree with me?

 

[Big Phil]

Thank you and I take it by your reply you agree with me?

Yeah, it could have been called for sure. Even today they are more lenient in overtime but as you probably remember back in 2002 they were even MORE lenient. You basically had to prevent a scoring chance to have a penalty called against you.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Yeah, it could have been called for sure. Even today they are more lenient in overtime but as you probably remember back in 2002 they were even MORE lenient. You basically had to prevent a scoring chance to have a penalty called against you.

I know it was not O'Neil who was being harassed to the point where the Leafs should have got a penalty, however that was a missed call on Kapanen.

 

[tarheelhockey]

You guys have got to be kidding. McCauley skated backward and fell over Kapanen’s skates. Kapanen wasn’t even looking at him and had his stick on the other side of his body.

That isn’t a tripping call in any era, and waving off an OT GWG for that would instantly rank among the all time horrible calls.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

You guys have got to be kidding. McCauley skated backward and fell over Kapanen’s skates. Kapanen wasn’t even looking at him and had his stick on the other side of his body.

That isn’t a tripping call in any era, and waving off an OT GWG for that would instantly rank among the all time horrible calls.

Not if it involves a franchise nobody cares about, THH, in favor of giving the world the Toronto-Detroit final it missed out on and deserved. How inconsiderate of us, to deny all of hockey such a boon?