No team in the Eastern Conference playoffs has found a Crosby stopper, a defensively skilled forward who is effective game after game in slowing Sidney Crosby .

Carolina center Matt Cullen showed flashes of being a shutdown defender against Crosby in Game 1, and the Hurricanes may need a near duplication of that performance if they're to even the conference finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.

The Cullen line was largely responsible for limiting Crosby to no goals, an assist and two shots during Pittsburgh's 3-2 victory on Monday -- about as close as the Penguins' captain has come to being blanketed. Crosby was coming off an eight-goal series against Washington and leads NHL playoff scorers with 22 points.

"I thought the Cullen line played pretty good and I thought he made a good adjustment in making sure those guys stayed off the score sheet," coach Paul Maurice said.

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