The Carolina Hurricanes stole their thrilling NHL first-round playoff series from the New Jersey Devils in the final 80 seconds on Tuesday. Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal scored in a 48-second span late in the third period and the Hurricanes stunned the Devils 4-3 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference matchup. It was the second shocking loss for the Devils in the series. They lost Game 4 on a goal by Jokinen with 0.2 seconds to play. This time they gave away the series in the final 1:20. Jokinen tied the game after taking a great cross-ice setup by Joni Pitkanen. Staal then buried the Devils with a shot from the middle of the right circle with 31.7 seconds to play. Carolina next plays top-seeded Boston. Capitals 2, Rangers 1: At Washington, thanks to sage old Sergei Fedorov and a monumental comeback, the home side was headed to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. The 39-year-old Fedorov beat New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist with 4:59 left in the third period for the Capitals to become the 21st team in NHL history to win a series after trailing 3-1. It's also the franchise's first series victory since the 1997-98 season, when Washington made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals. It must feel particularly sweet to the 16 players who were on the team a year ago, when the Capitals also trailed 3-1 in the first round, and also forced a Game 7 at home – only to lose to Philadelphia in overtime. New York's Nik Antropov and Washington's Alexander Semin traded first-period goals. Fedorov, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with Detroit, took a pass from Matt Bradley on his winner and, with Rangers defenseman Wade Redden screening Lundqvist, sent a shot inside the far post. The Capitals will play Pittsburgh in the next round. Russia beats Switzerland Defending champion Russia got the win it wanted and the tough match it needed with a 4-2 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday at the ice hockey world championship.
