NHL: Carolina 3, Boston 2 (OT)

BOSTON, May 15 (UPI) -- Scott Walker scored on a rebound with 1:14 left in the first overtime Thursday, putting Carolina into the conference finals with a 3-2 win over Boston.

The Hurricanes won their second Game 7 on the road in this year's playoffs, having been just 80 seconds away from elimination in the first round before two late goals knocked out New Jersey.

This time, Carolina ousted the top-seeded Bruins, who had beaten the Hurricanes in all four of their games during the regular season and who had rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the series.

The Hurricanes, who are halfway to what would be their second Stanley Cup title in four seasons, will take on Pittsburgh in the conference finals. The teams split their four regular-season meetings. Pittsburgh, as the No. 4 seed in the East, will have home-ice advantage against the sixth-seeded Hurricanes.

Byron Bitz gave Boston the lead 7:42 into the first period, but Rod Brind'Amour tied it with 6:01 to play in the stanza and Sergei Samsonov scored the only goal of the second period to put Carolina in front.

Milan Lucic tied it for Boston 6:19 into the third, forcing the second overtime game of the series and the fourth the Hurricanes have played in these playoffs.

Cam Ward made 34 saves for Carolina and improved his record in deciding games to 4-0. Thomas stopped 34 of 37 shots.

Boston got back into the series by outscoring Carolina 8-2 during the fifth and sixth games.

Carolina's success this season has come after the Hurricanes missed the playoffs in both 2007 and 2008.