BOSTON — Scott Walker delivered the final knockout punch to the Bruins.
His overtime goal sent the Hurricanes into the Eastern Conference finals and eliminated the top-seeded team in the process.
Four days after decking Aaron Ward with his right fist, Walker flipped his first NHL playoff goal over Tim Thomas 18:46 into overtime to give the Hurricanes a 3-2 victory in Game 7 on Thursday night and foil the Bruins’ hopes to recover from a 3-1 series deficit.
“I just went to the net and whacked one in,” Walker said after his 25th career NHL playoff game. “Didn’t take much skill.”
The Hurricanes will open the East finals Monday at Pittsburgh against the Penguins.
Thomas stopped Ray Whitney’s shot with his upper body, and the puck dropped in front of him. Walker, with Bruins defenseman Dennis Wideman beside him, shot just as the goalie reached out with his stick, too late to stop Walker from putting the puck over Thomas’ left shoulder. The red light went on and Thomas sped from the net toward his bench while the Hurricanes celebrated.
“I saw the guy coming down the lane, laying up for the shot,” said Thomas, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy. “I saw the shot. I made the save and left the rebound up in the air.”
Walker’s goal “sucks the life out of you,” said Milan Lucic, who tied the game 2-2 at 6:19 of the third period. “We worked hard to get back in the series and don’t get rewarded.”
The Bruins didn’t find the loss tougher to take because Walker netted the winner.
“It doesn’t matter who scored,” forward Shawn Thornton said. “The season’s over.”
Boston’s Stephane Yelle played in his 12th Game 7, most among active players. Patrick Roy and Scott Stevens hold the NHL record with 13.
