The hockey fans at the game in Raleigh between the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers – game six of the seven-game series – couldn’t believe it.

Neither could the Canes’ fans watching on TV around the country.

It was a sad day for Hurricane’s hockey fans – and, for die-hard fans, one might even say devastating.

At the start of the third and final period of the game, the Hurricanes had a 3-to-1 goal lead, were playing great, and it looked every bit like the team would win game six, tie the series, and go on to win the series this weekend in game seven.

The reason it felt like that for many fans was because the Hurricanes had started the series with three straight losses – meaning they were one game away from elimination.

But that was before finding their mojo and winning two straight games and taking a 3-to-1 goal lead in game 6 on Thursday evening, May 16.

At the start of the third period, the Hurricanes had all the momentum on their side, not to mention a two-point lead.

But then, of course, there was what happened next: The Canes missed two shots on goal that looked every bit like they were going in until those shots hit the goals’ metal crossbar and bounced out.

And the Rangers scored four goals in the final period to win them a trip to the NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals.

The New York Rangers will now advance to that seven-game series while the Hurricane players will stay home and watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs on TV.