Jussi Jokinen deflected in Dennis Seidenberg's slap shot with 0.2 seconds remaining for the Carolina Hurricanes to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 and even their NHL playoff series 2-2 on Tuesday. Eric Staal, Ryan Bayda and Chad LaRose also scored for the Hurricanes, who blew a 3-0 lead but regrouped just in time to avoid a third straight overtime game. Jokinen started the dramatic sequence when he tried to stuff a backhander past goalie Martin Brodeur with about 7 seconds remaining. The puck circled around to Joni Pitkanen near the blue line and he passed off to Seidenberg, who unloaded a hard blast from the point that clicked off the Finn's left skate and past Brodeur's low left side as time expired. After a video review, officials determined the puck crossed the goal line with 0.2 seconds left. An incensed Brodeur, who had been bumped outside the crease by Jokinen seconds before the goal, smashed his stick into the boards. David Clarkson scored the tying goal with 11:14 left for New Jersey. Brian Gionta added a goal and an assist, Brendan Shanahan scored his 60th career playoff goal and Brodeur stopped 42 shots. Sharks 4, Ducks 3: At Anaheim, California, Patrick Marleau scored the go-ahead goal on a power play with 9:27 left as San Jose evaded a daunting playoff deficit with a victory over Anaheim in Game 3 to trim the Ducks' series lead to 2-1. Canucks 3, Blues 2, OT: At St. Louis, Alex Burrows scored his second goal of the game with 18.9 seconds remaining in overtime and Roberto Luongo made 47 saves to help Vancouver complete a first-round sweep of St. Louis. Kyle Wellwood also scored for the Canucks, who swept a four-game series for the first time in franchise history. Red Wings 4, Blue Jackets 1: At Columbus, Ohio, Henrik Zetterberg scored twice as Detroit dominated from start to finish to grab a 3-0 lead in their first-round series. The first NHL playoff game at Nationwide Arena – in Columbus' 659th game – was a mammoth letdown for a franchise-record crowd of 19,219. Penguins 3, Flyers 1: At Philadelphia, a sliding Sidney Crosby scored a goal that ricocheted off his skate, his midsection and into the back of the net to spark Pittsburgh, which can finish off Philadelphia on home ice. Marc-Andre Fleury was sensational with 45 saves as the Penguins grabbed a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Tyler Kennedy and Maxime Talbot also scored for the Penguins, who can eliminate the Flyers in five games just like they did in last year's Eastern Conference finals. Game 5 is on Thursday.
