Canes’ Wesley saves the day

RALEIGH, N.C. – It was the kind of play that saves not only a game, but perhaps a season.

Glen Wesley, an 18-year veteran and the longest tenured active NHL player not to win the Stanley Cup, dived over his goalie to stop a sure goal.

“It was just a reaction thing, and fortunately, it stayed out,” said Wesley, who played in his 157th career playoff game.

Former Spokane Chief Ray Whitney had both his goals in a dominating second 20 minutes as the Hurricanes beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 Monday night to even the Eastern Conference finals at one win apiece. Game 3 is Wednesday night in Buffalo.

Frank Kaberle and Justin Williams also scored for Carolina, and rookie Cam Ward needed only 16 saves to pick up his ninth victory of the playoffs.

The Hurricanes had a 16-4 advantage in shots during the second period, a game after the Sabres led that statistic 13-4.

“We made a note of it after the first period to make sure we didn’t have a letdown and continued to skate hard,” Whitney said.

“We were skating and it was just fun to watch,” Ward said. “You see the guys playing that hard in front of you, you want to do the same for them.”

It was 3-1 early in the third period when Buffalo defenseman Jay McKee sent a slap shot toward the net. It bounced off Ward’s pads and was trickling toward the net when Wesley leaped over the goalie to swipe it out of harm’s way.

The play was reviewed in the replay booth, and referee Dan O’Halloran quickly skated away from the phone to signal no goal.

“I saw Cam stop it and it literally trickled through him,” Wesley said. “Fortunately, I was on the side and not in front of him, and I was just able to get my stick on it, I guess in the nick of time.”