| You've got to hand it to these NHL playoffs. Even the worst of games has a way of coming back and grabbing your attention at the end.
Just as Anaheim did a night before, Carolina rallied from three goals down to make a game of it against Buffalo in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. What looked to be a snoozer when Cam Ward skated to the bench after allowing his fourth goal turned into some riveting television as the Hurricanes nearly tied it with a flurry of chances in the final seconds of their 4-3 loss on Wednesday.
It didn't start out that way. Tuesday's war of words over diving spilled over to the ice on Wednesday. The teams combined for nine minor penalties, one a questionable diving call, in a first period that never developed any continuity.
Then the Sabres put it all together and played a nearly flawless second period. They outshot Carolina 19-8, finished their checks – and there were lots of them – and scored three times to take a 4-1 lead before a Cory Stillman goal shaved their advantage by one.
Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff called it his team's best 20 minutes of hockey of the season and it's hard to argue with him. That period was the Sabres at their best – deep, fast and physical.
Give the Hurricanes credit for crawling back into the game. Martin Gerber steadied the ship and Eric Staal ratcheted up the offensive pressure with five shots and his sixth goal of the playoffs. Carolina was only credited with one shot in the waning seconds after pulling Gerber for an extra skater, but the Hurricanes sure made it interesting.
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