Stanley Cup glory for Hurricanes

Carolina skipper Rob Brind'Amour holds the famous trophy aloft

Goalie Cam Ward starred with 22 saves as Carolina beat Edmonton 3-1 in game seven of the NHL finals to win their first Stanley Cup.

Carolina took a 2-0 lead in Raleigh with powerplay goals from Aaron Ward (1:26) and Frantisek Kaberle (24: 18).

But the Oilers fought back to score through Fernando Pisano in the 42nd minute to keep their hopes alive.

But a Justin Williams empty-net strike on 59 minutes sealed victory for the Hurricanes in front of their own fans.

Having led the best-of-seven series 3-1 and let two chances to hoist the Cup slip through their fingers, the Hurricanes did not squander their third and final opportunity.

They were inspired by Ward, 22, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy after being named as the most valuable player of this season's NHL play-offs.

He became the first rookie netminder since Patrick Roy in 1986 to lead his team to a Stanley Cup.

People say it's your rookie season and chances are it will come again, but you just never know - you can't predict the future. You've got to take care of the present Cam Ward

Ward said: "It's unbelievable. Your childhood dream of winning the Stanley Cup has finally come true and all that work you put forth through minor hockey and junior, it's all paid off."

Carolina captain Rod Brind'Amour, a 17-year veteran winning his first title, said: "I got to raise the Cup because of that kid.

"He just played awesome. You saw it. He never looked like there was a panic situation."

Carolina had returned home after crushing defeats in games five and six, but history was still on their side.

In 13 previous Stanley Cup finals taken to a seventh game, the home team had prevailed 11 times.

Only one team, the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, had ever rallied to erase a 3-1 deficit since the best-of-seven format was introduced in 1939.

Pisani's 14th goal of the post-season gave him the scant consolation of being the leading scorer in the play-offs.

The Hurricanes have only been in existence since 1999, when the Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina. They lost 4-1 in the 2002 finals to Detroit.

Edmonton were seeking their sixth Stanley Cup triumph and their first since 1990. No Canadian team has won since Montreal in 1993.