The Carolina Hurricanes were downgraded to a tropical depression following tonight’s embarrassing loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Cam Ward, who might be replaced with the empty net in Game 4 considering that the empty net has only allowed two goals in the series, was strong at times but the relentless Penguins attack proved too much once again for him to stand up against.

Carolina drew first blood with a powerful attack early on when Cullen (3) was able to put the puck behind Marc-Andre Fleury. But after that the Penguins put the pedal down but Cam Ward could not make the saves to keep Carolina ahead. Not three minutes later Malkamania ran wild as Malkin (11) buried the tying goal on a powerplay. After back and forth play for the rest of the period, Crosby (14) and Malkin (12) each scored in the final minute of play to dart the Penguins out to a 3-1 lead.

That would be the way the game remained until the third period. Samsonov (5) scored less than two minutes in to draw the Hurricanes to within one. But the Penguins played hard and Fleury made some great saves to keep the lead. Then it turned. Fedotenko (5) scored after Malkin dropped the puck to him in the slot and the score was 4-2. Then Craig Adams (2) scored his second of the playoffs off a face off with Cam Ward pulled. Off the face off the puck raced down the ice and into the net to extend the lead to 5-2 with just under two minutes to play. But it was not over.

Forty seconds later on the power play, Bill Guerin (6) beat Ward again and when it all ended the score was 6-2 and Carolina was down in the series 3-0.

Fleury was both sharp AND lucky at times as pucks that had him beat drifted wide of the goal by inches a couple times. However he did made 32 of 34 saves. Cam Ward stopped just 34 of 39.

Game 4 is Tuesday night and the Hurricanes are far behind the eight ball now.

The Hurricanes win if …
1) Cam Ward puts up a great performance
2) Carolina limits their time in the Penalty Box
3) Carolina keeps the Penguins shot total down

The Penguins win if …
1) They keep throwing pucks at the net
2) Jordan continues to play well against his brother in the face off dot
3) Pittsburgh’s defense tightens up early and doesn’t allow Fleury to get peppered.

Chicago saw Detroit erase a 3-0 deficit at the end of the second period with three goals in the final six minutes of the period. But it was Patrick Sharp (7) that won the game for the Blackhawks just 1:52 into overtime after both teams managed only six shots each in the third period and failed to score.

The win makes the series 2-1 Detroit instead of 3-0 which would have been a tall order for Chicago to overcome and it was an outcome that looked in doubt after that second period explosion by Detroit. Chicago pretty much looked like the better team for most of the game except for that late second period lapse but what it proved once again is that you cannot let up when you have Detroit down. However, after Detroit tore down the (Khabi)Bulin Wall again, it was Cristobal Huet that came in and rescued the Hawks.

Both teams go at it again at 3:00 PM on Sunday.

Sharp’s post game interview: