RALEIGH, N.C., May 12 (UPI) -- Martin Gelinas and Rod Brind'Amour each had a goal and an assist and Arturs Irbe made 30 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes dominated the Montreal Canadiens, 5-1, Sunday to take a three games to two lead in their NHL Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Carolina scored the first four goals of the game after netting the last four in Game Four to erase a 3-0 third-period deficit and even the best-of-seven series.
Gelinas opened the attack at 3:17 of the first period with his second goal of the postseason and first of the series.
As Jeff O'Neill and Josef Vasicek battled Montreal's Donald Audette along the boards, the puck came right to Gelinas just below the left faceoff circle and the veteran left wing roofed a wrist shot over goaltender Jose Theodore's glove for a 1-0 lead.
Brind'Amour scored the only tally of the second period, although Montreal owned a 17-7 advantage in shots on goal.
Ron Francis essentially ended the game at 3:40 of the third when he put his own rebound behind Theodore while on the power play to make it 3-0.
Irbe, who relieved Kevin Weekes after one period in Game Four, started for the first time since Game Four of the conference quarterfinals against New Jersey. The diminutive Latvian was strong when needed, allowing just a slap shot by defenseman Karl Dykhuis with 5:28 left in the third to elude him.
Tommy Westlund and Bates Battaglia also scored for the Hurricanes, who can advance to the conference finals for the first time in franchise history with a victory in Montreal on Monday.
