Ward proves human

BY LUKE DECOCK, Staff Writer
Raleigh News & Observer
http://www.newsobserver.com/
May 19, 2009

PITTSBURGH - MAY 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins watches as goaltender Cam Ward #30 of the Carolina Hurricanes defends a shot on goal during Game One of the Eastern Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 18, 2009 at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH - As the Carolina Hurricanes advance deeper in the playoffs, they get credit for creativity. They have found a different way to foul up the first game of every series.

Against the New Jersey Devils, it was a decided lack of playoff intensity.

Against the Boston Bruins, a shocking carelessness with the puck.

And against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday, in a 3-2 loss to open the Eastern Conference finals, they found perhaps the least likely culprit of all -- a slow start from Cam Ward, who couldn't bail out his teammates after two defensive breakdowns.

Ward rebounded quickly, stopping 24 of the final 25 shots he faced to keep the Hurricanes in the game, but the damage was done when Miroslav Satan converted a breakaway and Evgeni Malkin scored less than 90 seconds later midway through the first period.

They were difficult chances, to be sure, but throughout the playoffs, the Hurricanes have counted on Ward to make at least one of those saves. Monday, he didn't -- and in the Pittsburgh net, Marc-Andre Fleury was perfect when the Hurricanes pounded the puck at him early.

"I look at it as a challenge," Ward said. "Fleury was making some saves down there, and I have to be able to respond in the first period. They had some good looks. That breakaway, he put a good move on me and really made me look stupid, to tell you the truth, but good players will do that."

After all the talk about Pittsburgh's offensive prowess, the Hurricanes weren't far behind. Chad LaRose and Joe Corvo scored to keep the Hurricanes within a goal, and Eric Staal had a chance to tie the score in the final minute.

They just couldn't beat Fleury in the first period, when the Penguins beat Ward twice.

"Two breakdowns in the first period resulted in two goals, which is tough," Staal said. "We had our chances, and Fleury made some big saves."

This was surprising. Unexpected. Shocking. Ward has been a rock for the Hurricanes in the postseason, yet just when his teammates seemed to figure out their Game 1 foibles, Ward found some of his own.


Chad LaRose's shot is smothered by Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury during the first period. - STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS SEWARD

Ward may have outdueled Martin Brodeur and Tim Thomas in the end, but those matchups looked like a tossup before the puck was dropped. In this series, Ward had the pre-series edge on Fleury in statistics and experience.

Of all the battles the Hurricanes might lose, goaltending seemed the least likely, yet Fleury was the winner Monday.

"Their guy was good," Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said. "Our guy was very good."

The Hurricanes lost Satan when he popped out of the penalty box, and he produced a forehand fake on the breakaway that left Ward unable to recover against Satan's backhand. Malkin beat Ward with a fluttering far-side backhand 84 seconds later, and the Penguins led the rest of the way.

Fleury, meanwhile, stopped LaRose on a short-handed two-on-one, made a snappy glove save on Tuomo Ruutu at point-blank range on Carolina's first power play and dived to deny LaRose an open net on an Erik Cole rebound -- all in the first period.

As is their nature, the Hurricanes kept coming, and once again they'll keep coming after a Game 1 loss. (They're 2-0 so far.) Other than concern over the health of Ruutu and Cole, there may not be many adjustments for Paul Maurice to make over the next two days.

The Hurricanes generated chances off the rush in the first period and got their forecheck going in the second. Rod Brind'Amour looked good filling in for Ruutu with Sergei Samsonov and Jussi Jokinen. LaRose could have had a hat trick.

And it's not like there's any tinkering to do with Ward. He'll be better off the hop in Game 2, you can be sure of that. You put him back in net and count on his track record -- not just his, but the Hurricanes' after their Game 1 losses.


luke.decock@newsobserver.com, 919-829-8947 or blogs.newsobserver.com/decock