Washington, DC (My Sportsbook) - Sergei Fedorov's tally with just under five minutes left in regulation was the difference, as the Washington Capitals posted a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at Verizon Center. Alexander Semin notched the other goal for the Capitals, who responded with three consecutive wins to take the series, 4-3. It marked just the second time in team annals that the club won a playoff series after trailing three games to one, following a Game 7 overtime victory in the 1988 Patrick Division semifinals against the Flyers. There was extra vindication in the triumph, as the Capitals had rallied from a 1-3 series deficit last season in the conference quarterfinals against Philadelphia only to lose Game 7 in overtime at home. The second-seeded Capitals will face the Penguins in the conference semifinals. That series is slated to begin on Saturday in Washington. Simeon Varlamov continued his stellar play in his first taste of the postseason, stopping 14-of-15 shots for Washington, which hadn't taken a playoff series dating back to a six-game triumph over Buffalo in the 1998 Eastern Conference finals. Nik Antropov provided the lone score for the Rangers, who failed to advance despite a 3-1 series edge for the first time in franchise playoff history. Henrik Lundqvist allowed two goals on 24 shots for New York, which hadn't faced a Game 7 since its 3-2 victory against Vancouver in the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.

Final Score: Carolina 4, New Jersey 3

Newark, NJ (My Sportsbook) - Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal scored 48 seconds apart in the final 80 seconds of regulation to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a stunning 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the decisive Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at Prudential Center. Tuomo Ruutu and Ray Whitney also scored for Carolina, which entered the third period with a 3-2 deficit but erupted late to shock the Devils. Jokinen tied the game with 1:20 left, and then Staal netted the game-winner with 31.7 seconds remaining. Cam Ward finished with 32 saves for the Hurricanes, who will face the top-seeded Boston Bruins in the second round. Game 1 of that series will begin on Friday in Boston. Brian Rolston's power-play goal midway through the second period gave New Jersey a lead that everybody in the building thought was safe with Martin Brodeur -- arguably the best goaltender in league history -- between the pipes. Brodeur was stellar through the first 18-plus minutes of the final stanza, but the visitors scored the two late goals to seal the win and clinch the series. Brodeur made 10 saves in the third and 27 in the game. Jamie Langenbrunner and Jay Pandolfo also scored for the Devils, who for the second spring in a row suffered an early playoff exit. Last season, New Jersey was ousted in five games by the cross-town rival New York Rangers.