Last-second goal lifts Hurricanes

Jussi Jokinen deflected in Dennis Seidenberg’s slap shot with 0.2 seconds remaining and the Carolina Hurricanes evened their series with New Jersey at two games apiece by beating the Devils, 4-3, Tuesday night at Raleigh, N.C.

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 Martin Brodeur with about seven 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 Jokinen’s left skate and past Brodeur’s low left side as time expired.

After a review of about two minutes, officials determined that 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 had a goal and an assist, Brendan Shanahan scored his 60th career playoff goal and Brodeur stopped 42 shots for the Devils.

Vancouver 3, St. Louis 2 (OT) -- Alex Burrows scored his second goal of the game with 18.9 seconds to go in overtime and Roberto Luongo made 47 saves to help the Canucks complete a four-game, first-round sweep at St. Louis.

Kyle Wellwood also scored for the Canucks, who won a series before the seventh game for the first time in 12 tries since 1994.

Brad Boyes and David Perron scored for the Blues, who rallied from a two-goal, second-period deficit thanks to increased traffic around Luongo. But more power play woes doomed St. Louis, which was 0 for 7 with the man advantage and one for 23 in the series including a four-minute double-minor in overtime.

Detroit 4, Columbus 1 -- Henrik Zetterberg scored two goals at Columbus, Ohio, and the Red Wings dominated from the start to finish to grab a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.

The first NHL playoff game at Nationwide Arena -- in the Blue Jackets’ 659th game -- was a mammoth letdown for a franchise-record crowd of 19,219.

Chris Osgood’s shutout streak of 144 minutes 27 seconds ended with 3:53 left when R.J. Umberger scored.

Pittsburgh 3, Philadelphia 1 -- A sliding Sidney Crosby scored a goal that ricocheted off his skate, his midsection and into the back of the net to spark the Penguins.

Marc-Andre Fleury was sensational with 45 saves at Philadelphia 5and the Penguins grabbed a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference 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.