Arturs Irbe featured among the Three Stars in five out of the seven games as he led the ’00-’01 Canes to the upset. (via spi4uk.itvnet)

The reigning representatives, the 4th-seeded ’98-’99 Hurricanes dominated Game 1 by outshooting the 5th-seeded ’00-’01 Hurricanes 59-24. However, it was the ’00-’01 Canes that won 1-0 as Ron Francis scored the only goal of the game while goalie Arturs Irbe stopped all 59 shots against. The ’98-’99 Canes scored three in the first period of Game 2, including two from Ray Sheppard, to lead 3-0 going into the second period. However, the ’00-’01 Canes scored twice in the second and then defenseman Kevin Hatcher scored a 5-on-3 shorthanded goal to force an overtime. Bates Battaglia won it for the ’00-’01 Canes with a little over seven minutes left to give the ’00-’01 Canes a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 was tied 4-4 in the third period, but Jeff O’Neill scored to give the ’00-’01 Canes a 5-4 lead. In the final minute of regulation and with the goalie pulled, Nelson Emerson tied the game and forced an OT for the ’98-’99 Canes. The reigning reps would win the game just seven seconds into the second overtime as Sheppard netted the game-winner.

Then, the ’98-’99 Canes tied the series up 2-2 with a 4-3 win in Game 4 as Martin Gelinas scored the game-winner in the final minute of the third period. Game 5 was tied 1-1 after two periods and Keith Primeau netted a PP marker for the ’98-’99 Canes two and a half minutes in to give them a 2-1 win and a 3-2 series lead. The reigning representatives were just a period from moving on as they led 3-2 after two periods in Game 6. However, the ’00-’01 Canes scored three times in the third, including two from Sami Kapanen to comeback for a 5-3 win. That resulted in a Game 7 and the ’00-’01 Canes got on the board thanks to an unassisted goal from Brind’Amour eight minutes in. The ’98-’99 Canes tied it early in the third, but two goals in a span of 37 seconds late in the third gave the ’00-’01 Canes a 3-1 win. With that, there will be a new Carolina Hurricanes representative in the upcoming Ultimate NHL Playoff. 

GAME 1:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’00-’01 CAR – 1   ’98-’99 CAR – 0   (1-0   ’00-’01 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’00-’01 CAR) – W   0.00 GAA   1.00 SV% (59 SV’s)   SO

2nd Star: C – Ron Francis (’00-’01 CAR) – 1 G   0 A   1 P   +1   1 S

3rd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’98-’99 CAR) – L   1.00 GAA   .958 SV% (23 SV’s)

GAME 2:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’00-’01 CAR – 4   ’98-’99 CAR – 3   (OT)   (2-0   ’00-’01 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’00-’01 CAR) – W   3.00 GAA   .950 SV% (58 SV’s)

2nd Star: LW – Bates Battaglia (’00-’01 CAR) – 2 G   0 A   2 P   +2   6 S

3rd Star: RW – Ray Sheppard (’98-’99 CAR) – 2 G   0 A   2 P   Even   12 S

GAME 3:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’98-’99 CAR – 6   ’00-’01 CAR – 5   (OT)   (2-1   ’00-’01 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Keith Primeau (’98-’99 CAR) – 2 G   1 A   3 P   +5   6 S

2nd Star: RW – Ray Sheppard (’98-’99 CAR) – 2 G   1 A   3 P   +4   10 S

3rd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’98-’99 CAR) – W   5.00 GAA   .928 SV% (64 SV’s)

GAME 4:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’98-’99 CAR – 4   ’00-’01 CAR – 3   (2-2)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Keith Primeau (’98-’99 CAR) – 2 G   1 A   3 P   +1   12 S   2 PIM

2nd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’00-’01 CAR) – L   4.00 GAA   .915 SV% (43 SV’s)

3rd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’98-’99 CAR) – W   3.00 GAA   .919 SV% (34 SV’s)

GAME 5:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’98-’99 CAR – 2   ’00-’01 CAR – 1   (3-2   ’98-’99 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’98-’99 CAR) – W   1.00 GAA   .974 SV% (37 SV’s)

2nd Star: C – Keith Primeau (’98-’99 CAR) – 2 G   0 A   2 P   +1   8 S

3rd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’00-’01 CAR) – L   2.00 GAA   .943 SV% (33 SV’s)

GAME 6:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’00-’01 CAR – 5   ’98-’99 CAR – 3   (3-3)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: LW – Sami Kapanen (’00-’01 CAR) – 2 G   0 A   2 P   +2   11 S

2nd Star: RW – Ray Sheppard (’98-’99 CAR) – 1 G   2 A   3 P   +3   3 S

3rd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’98-’99 CAR) – W   4.00 GAA   .931 SV% (54 SV’s)

GAME 7:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’00-’01 CAR – 3   ’98-’99 CAR – 1   (4-3   ’00-’01 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’00-’01 CAR) – W   1.00 GAA   .975 SV% (39 SV’s)

2nd Star: C – Jeff O’Neill (’00-’01 CAR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   Even   9 S

3rd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’98-’99 CAR) – L   3.00 GAA   .927 SV% (38 SV’s)

Up next in the 2-7 matchup between the ’01-’02 Hurricanes and the ’99-’00 Hurricanes!