Bruins' season ends with loss to 'Canes

BOSTON (AP) - Scott Walker scored his first NHL playoff goal 18:46 into overtime to send the Carolina Hurricanes into the Eastern Conference finals with a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

Byron Bitz gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 7:42 of the first period, and Carolina captain Rod Brind'Amour tied it six minutes later. Sergei Samsonov put the Hurricanes ahead 2-1 at 7:45 of the second period, but Milan Lucic tied it for the Bruins at 6:19 of the third.

Carolina will face the Pittsburgh Penguins, who beat the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of that series on Wednesday, in the East finals.

Walker scored his first goal in 25 career NHL playoff games on a rebound of a shot by Ray Whitney from the right circle. Tim Thomas made the save but couldn't recover in time to stop Walker from batting the puck out of the air and over him.

Walker had been fined $25,000 after punching defenseman Aaron Ward in the face with his right fist late in Boston's win in Game 5. The Bruins said Walker should have been suspended for punching
Ward, who hadn't taken off his gloves.

With the top-seeded Bruins eliminated, the three highest seeded teams in the East and two of the top three in the West are out of
the playoffs. Only Detroit, seeded second in the West, moved on
with a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

Boston was trying to accomplish what no other Bruins club has done -- win a series it trailed 3-1. They are now 0-21 in those series, with only two going seven games. The other came last year in the first round against the Montreal Canadiens.

Bitz, a rookie forward, gave Boston the first lead with his first playoff goal. Michael Ryder's shot from the left point hit the back wall and rebounded to the right of goalie Cam Ward. Bitz swooped in and scored into the empty side of the net to Ward's left.

Brind'Amour tied it exactly two minutes after a penalty to Boston's P.J. Axelsson, who was about to leave the box when the goal was scored. Dennis Seidenberg took a shot from 45 feet directly in front of Thomas and Brind'Amour deflected it in.

Samsonov, who spent nearly his first eight full seasons with Boston, scored from Thomas' right by redirecting a pass across the slot from Joni Pitkanen.

Then Lucic tied it when he skated behind the defense and into an open spot at the edge of the crease. Phil Kessel had the puck behind the net, skated out and passed to Lucic, who lifted it over
Cam Ward.