The Carolina Hurricanes wore this patch on their jerseys during the ’99-’00 season to mark the inaugural season of their new arena. (via sportslogos.net)

The 7th-seeded ’99-’00 Hurricanes were the team to get off to the better start as they led 5-2 after two periods, but the 2nd-seeded ’01-’02 Hurricanes rattled off three goals in the third to force an overtime. Then, Bates Battaglia won it for the ’01-’02 Canes in the second overtime to give them a 1-0 series lead. They scored three goals in the third period of Game 2, as well, as they went on to win 7-5. Rod Brind’Amour led the way with two goals and two assists as they took a 2-0 series lead. Then, thanks in large part to a hat trick from Jeff O’Neill, the ’01-’02 Canes opened up their 3-0 series lead with a 5-2 win in Game 3. The ’99-’00 Canes’ comeback began with a 3-2 win in Game 4 as defenseman Marek Malik broke a 2-2 tie with less than seven minutes left in the third period. Then, the ’99-’00 Canes dominated Game 5 in a 7-3 win as both Ron Francis and defenseman Sean Hill registered two goals and two assists. The ’01-’02 Canes led 2-1 after the first period in Game 6, but the ’99-’00 Canes scored three times in a span of almost eight minutes to eventually win 4-2. Goalie Arturs Irbe had yet another stellar game as he stopped 54 of 56 for the ’99-’00 Canes to help force a Game 7. Just four minutes and 13 seconds into that Game 7, Sami Kapanen scored to give the ’99-’00 Canes an early lead. The ’01-’02 Canes finally tied it with about three and a half minutes left in the second, via Francis. Then, with four and a half minutes left in the third period, defenseman Dave Karpa scored to give the ’99-’00 Canes a 2-1 lead, which would be the series- and comeback-clincher. 

GAME 1:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’01-’02 CAR – 6   ’99-’00 CAR – 5   (OT)   (1-0   ’01-’02 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Tom Barrasso (’01-’02 CAR) – W   0.00 GAA   1.000 SV% (33 SV’s); Replaced starter Arturs Irbe at the 16:20 mark of the second period

2nd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’99-’00 CAR) – OTL   5.00 GAA   .921 SV% (70 SV’s)

3rd Star: C – Ron Francis (’99-’00 CAR) – 2 G   1 A   3 P   +1   9 S

GAME 2:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’01-’02 CAR – 7   ’99-’00 CAR – 5   (2-0   ’01-’02 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Rod Brind’Amour (’01-’02 CAR) – 2 G   2 A   4 P   -1   8 S

2nd Star: D – Paul Coffey (’99-’00 CAR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   +2   3 S

3rd Star: LW – Bates Battaglia (’01-’02 CAR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   +2   4 S

GAME 3:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’01-’02 CAR – 5   ’99-’00 CAR – 2   (3-0   ’01-’02 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Jeff O’Neill (’01-’02 CAR) – 3 G   0 A   3 P   +2   8 S

2nd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’01-’02 CAR) – W   2.00 GAA   .949 SV% (37 SV’s)

3rd Star: C – Rod Brind’Amour (’01-’02 CAR) – 1 G   0 A   1 P   +1   10 S

GAME 4:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’99-’00 CAR – 3   ’01-’02 CAR – 2   (3-1   ’01-’02 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’99-’00 CAR) – W   2.00 GAA   .944 SV% (34 SV’s)

2nd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’01-’02 CAR) – L   3.00 GAA   .942 SV% (49 SV’s)

3rd Star: RW – Sami Kapanen (’99-’00 CAR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   Even   9 S

GAME 5:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’99-’00 CAR – 7   ’01-’02 CAR – 3   (3-2   ’01-’02 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: C – Ron Francis (’99-’00 CAR) – 2 G   2 A   4 P   +4   9 S

2nd Star: D – Sean Hill (’99-’00 CAR) – 2 G   2 A   4 P   +2   5 S

3rd Star: LW – Gary Roberts (’01-’02 CAR) – 0 G   3 A   3 P   +4   5 S

GAME 6:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’99-’00 CAR – 4   ’01-’02 CAR – 2   (3-3)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’99-’00 CAR) – W   2.00 GAA   .964 SV% (54 SV’s)

2nd Star: LW – Gary Roberts (’99-’00 CAR) – 1 G   2 A   3 P   +1   4 S

3rd Star: C – Ron Francis (’99-’00 CAR) – 1 G   1 A   2 P   +1   9 S

GAME 7:

GAME SUMMARY:  ’99-’00 CAR – 2   ’01-’02 CAR – 1   (4-3   ’99-’00 CAR)

STARS OF THE GAME:

1st Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’99-’00 CAR) – W   1.00 GAA   .972 SV% (35 SV’s)

2nd Star: G – Arturs Irbe (’01-’02 CAR) – L   2.00 GAA   .935 SV% (29 SV’s)

3rd Star: D – Dave Karpa (’99-’00 CAR) – 1 G   0 A   1 P   +1   2 S

Up next is the 3-6 matchup between the ’08-’09 Hurricanes and the ’10-’11 Hurricanes!