Edmonton, Alberta – If Monday night’s Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals had happened seven years ago, Cam Ward no doubt would have been one of the leather-lunged partisans at Rexall Place, still cheering “Let’s Go Oilers” even after his team had lost.
While nearly 17,000 Edmonton Oilers fans were doing just that not long after the Carolina Hurricanes won 2-1, Ward remained in his goal crease, talking on national television about how it felt to beat the favorite team of his youth.
“It’s something I probably wouldn’t have believed if you told me this would happen some day, but right now it feels pretty good,” Ward said.
Ward, from Sherwood Park, a suburb of Edmonton, stopped 20-of-21 shots to lead the Hurricanes to the brink of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. Leading the series 3-1, the ‘Canes can win the Cup with a victory Wednesday in Game 5 in Raleigh, N.C.
Carolina’s Cory Stillman extended his playoff point streak to 12 games with a goal and an assist, the helper coming on the game-winner by veteran Mark Recchi at 15:56 of the second period.
“This is going to be the toughest game we face now, going home,” said Stillman, who is tied with teammate Eric Staal for the playoff scoring lead (24 points). “The toughest game is always the one trying to close it out, but we’re looking forward to doing that on home ice.”
The Hurricanes surrendered an early goal to Sergei Samsonov, but played almost a perfect defensive game after that. They rendered Edmonton’s power play nearly lifeless, even at a 5-on-3 disadvantage late in the first period. Carolina’s point forwards on the penalty kill made it tough for Edmonton’s Chris Pronger and Jaroslav Spacek to get pucks through to the net, and Carolina made it nearly impossible for Edmonton to get anything in the front of the net.
The Oilers, who appear to be tiring after a long playoff grind that has included a team-wide flu bug and the loss of their top goalie, are 1-for-25 on the power play in the series. They are 0-for-3 on two-man advantages.
“I thought we started the game really well, and were the beneficiary of several power plays, and we lost some momentum on those power plays,” Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said. “I don’t know if we had a shot on goal – might have had one shot on goal – on the 5-on-3. And then we got frustrated.”
One of the big keys to the game was how fast Carolina answered Samsonov’s goal, at 8:40 of the first. With Edmonton’s Raffi Torres in the penalty box and the crowd still roaring, Stillman blasted a one-timer from the right circle past Oilers goalie Jussi Markkanen to the near post to tie it 29 seconds later.
Said Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette: “That was real big. We spread it out a bit on the power play, got it back to ‘Stiller’ for a one-timer and he made sure he put it in.”
Recchi, who started the season in Pittsburgh, scored from the side of the net after Pronger had a clear-out attempt deflected, leading to Stillman and Staal working the puck to Recchi.
Ward did not have to stand on his head, but he made the saves he had to in the third, including one from the point by Pronger that nearly fooled him on a screen.
The Hurricanes are the 28th NHL team to have a 3-1 lead in a Cup Finals. Twenty-six of the previous 27 went on to win.
“As a team all year, we’ve just kind of focused on the next game and nothing else,” Hurricanes center Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s good that it’s coming right away, not (with) the extra day in between.”
Carolina 1 1 0 – 2
Edmonton 1 0 0 – 1
First period – 1, Edmonton, Samsonov 4 (Dvorak, Stoll), 8:40. 2, Carolina, Stillman 9 (Kaberle, Staal), 9:09 (pp). Penalties – Torres, Edm (tripping), 8:57; Ladd, Car (tripping), 10:04; Whitney, Car (hooking), 13:08; Whitney, Car (hooking), 15:35; A. Ward, Car (high-sticking), 16:23; Stoll, Edm (interference), 19:20.
Second period – 3, Carolina, Recchi 7 (Staal, Stillman), 15:56. Penalties – Pronger, Edm (holding), 3:24; Hedican, Car (roughing), 8:54; Greene, Edm (holding), 18:05; Williams, Car (holding), 18:35; Pronger, Edm (cross-checking), 19:27.
Third period – None. Penalty – Smith, Edm (hooking), 15:22.
Shots on goal – Carolina 4-11-5 – 20. Edmonton 8-8-5 – 21. Power-play opportunities – Carolina 1 of 6; Edmonton 0 of 5. Goalies – Carolina, Ward 14-6 (21 shots-20 saves). Edmonton, Markkanen 1-2 (20-18). Attendance – 16,839 (16,839). T – 2:31.
Staff writer Adrian Dater can be reached at 303-820-5454 or adater@denverpost.com.
