Stanley Cup Finals: Game 5

SI Staff | May 8, 2007

Stanley Cup Finals: Game 5 /

Stanley Cup Finals: Game 5

Hurricanes fans packed RBC Center in full-throated anticipation of the franchise's first Stanley Cup, but Oilers defenseman Chris Pronger hushed the festivities a bit when his shot 16 seconds into the opening period was deflected in by Fernando Pasani.

Oddly quiet in the finals, Eric Staal broke through with his first two goals of the series. His first came a 5:54 of the first period, tying the game at 1. Staal assisted on Ray Whitney's score at 10:15 and struck again for his second tally of the game, in the second period.

From the Pigs Fly Dept.: Oilers defenseman Dick Tarnstrom, not an offensive powerhouse, had a role in a rare event: a power play goal by Edmonton. Tarnstrom's feed to Ales Hemsky knotted the game at 2 in the first period and left the Oilers 2 for 32 with a man-advantage in the finals.

Edmonton's Michael Peca capped a high-scoring opening period by putting a shot past Cam Ward with only 17.4 seconds left. Peca's tally put the Oilers up 3-2 heading into the first intermission.

Though he was victimized by Eric Staal on this shot, Jussi Markkanen got sharper as the game went on. He stopped 21 shots in all,.and even got a little timely help from his goalpost, which thwarted a potential tiebreaking goal in the third period.

The Hurricanes took their lumps from the desperate Oilers. Defenseman Aaron Ward (right) left the game in the second period with an upper-body injury but later returned. His teammate, Doug Weight, also hurt, did not.

When the game went to overtime, the Oilers pressed their attack, putting seven shots on Carolina's net, which became a gathering place for Cam Ward's red-shirted protectors.

Hardworking Cory Stillman has been a major factor in Carolina's Cup run, but his lazy cross-ice pass to Eric Staal in OT proved to be disastrous.

Oilers winger Fernando Pisani has been a huge surprise in the postseason, and never more so than after Edmonton's Steve Staios was whistled for dragging Carolina's Mark Recchi down at 3:03 of OT.

After intercepting Cory Stillman's errant cross-ice pass, Fernando Pisani broke in alone on Cam Ward and scored the first short-handed overtime goal in Stanley Cup finals history. The stunning goal, Pisani's 12th of the postseason, spoiled Carolina's party and sent the series back to Edmonton.

Published May 8, 2007

SI STAFF