Maple Leafs vs Carolina Huricanes - 2002 Playoffs Game #4

[industrialsun]

Pang was so right about "nail in coffin" because this sent Leafs backsliding into hockey oblivion for last decade. Forget Conf Finals of 1990s, Toronto waited 35 years for this moment (Flyers, Devils, & Bruins were all gone from playoffs, only Canes stood in their way). Joseph vs Irbe in classic goalie standoff and Cujo blinked first. Leafs would fight to the finish but everyone had to know after this loss that a tired team was not going to win 2 games in Carolina or a third straight Game 7.

[ThaOneChrisJONES]

You can only ride your goalie for so long before the Hot Streak runs out.... BOOM ! The luck just ran out in this series for the Maple Queafs.

[stewardo]

I CAN'T believe we lost both games at home. What a fucking JOKE.

[WWEDX2007]

@stewardo

Hey, at least it wasn't as bad as my Detroit Red Wings in 2009 losing the Stanley Cup at the Joe, plus we blew a 2-0 series lead.

[stewardo]

@WWEDX2007 Yeah, but your team has won like 5 cups since 1967. Rather difficult to cope with 43 years of failure.

[WWEDX2007]

@stewardo

Yeah....

[dangleman1]

wow this series is nothing compared to the western conference finals between detroit and colorado, 2 power houses. Just goes to show that once carolina faced a tough team from the west they got waxed which was by detroit in 5

[journeythruthepast]

Irbe never played well after this. The guy's career was strange since he had times where he was in the minors, and times where he was red hot. Interestingly, the Canes switched goalies in 06 (Gerber to Ward) and went to the finals (but won the cup) and in 02 they did so when switching goals (Weeks to Irbe).

[SaishuuKessen]

Irbe played well in the olympics a couple years later that I recall. Unfortunately irbe his whole career played for usualy average at best, and some of just god awfull teams. I say who else has done what irbe did, with the teams he played behind?

[TC163]

Canesdude67, you know your stuff, whenever I wear my Irbe Columbus sweater...I get retarded question's.

[ohkaforcy]

man the leafs better make the playoffs next year, those were the days.

[canesdude67]

irbe owns.

[mikeyrocks11]

where is that guy anyways

[canesdude67]

latvia now. after the canes lost the cup he wasnt the same and he was sent to the minors and eventually was traded to the blue jackets before the strike. and he just went to latvia instead of staying with the jackets.