Game 7 up next after Hurricanes rout Devils 4-0

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -That the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils are headed to a decisive Game 7 is no surprise - not after those teams have produced the tightest first-round series of the playoffs.

The real stunner is how it got to this point: The Devils were blown out 4-0 on Sunday night by a Carolina team that entered Game 6 on the verge of elimination - yet never seemed more comfortable.

"I guess when you have nothing really to lose, other than being gone, you can play a little bit more relaxed," forward Ray Whitney said.

There was no shortage of stars in this one for the Hurricanes.

Eric Staal scored two goals less than 3 minutes apart and added an assist. Cam Ward made 28 saves in his third career playoff shutout. Whitney finished with a goal and three assists, and his four points were more than any of his teammates had during Games 1-5 combined.

Jussi Jokinen scored Carolina's first power-play goal since Game 2, and Chad LaRose had two assists.

Carolina outshot New Jersey 37-28 while its reconfigured top line of Staal, Whitney and LaRose produced the first three goals.

The result: The most lopsided final score of the best-of-seven series.

"The difference in tonight was, a team that played like there was no tomorrow and the other team played like there was," Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "When that happens, usually the team that plays like there is another tomorrow will end up on the wrong side."

The series is even at three games apiece, with the winner-take-all Game 7 set for Tuesday night in New Jersey.

"This will mean nothing unless we do the job Tuesday, so we need to be ready," Staal said.

Ward finished with his first shutout in the postseason since beating Edmonton 5-0 in Game 2 of the 2006 Stanley Cup finals. He went on to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as a rookie that year, and has been the Hurricanes' most consistent performer during these playoffs.

But through most of this series, the sport's winningest goaltender - Martin Brodeur - has been his equal. Not this time.