'Canes take series lead with win over Toronto

TORONTO - Ron Francis is showing the Carolina Hurricanes what quiet determination can do in the playoffs. <br> <br> The Carolina captain, who has played 21 years in the NHL, is a big reason why the Hurricanes are enjoying their most successful season. <br> <br> Francis was at it again Tuesday night, scoring once and setting up Jeff O&#39;Neill&#39;s winner in a 2-1 overtime victory against Toronto in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. <br> <br> The Maple Leafs played without coach Pat Quinn, who was hospitalized earlier in the day because of an undisclosed chest condition. <br> <br> This was the Hurricanes&#39; second straight overtime win over the Maple Leafs. The victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which resumes Thursday in Toronto. <br> <br> ``Ron Francis, his personality, it&#39;s our team personality,&#39;&#39; Carolina coach Paul Maurice said. ``It&#39;s quiet, hardworking, very honest effort on most nights. I know our team has given a Ron Francis-effort over the course of the season.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> And, as Maurice pointed out, the 39-year-old center isn&#39;t a bad soccer player, either, referring to how Francis set up O&#39;Neill&#39;s winner 6:01 into the extra period. <br> <br> After eluding Toronto&#39;s Anders Eriksson at the Maple Leafs&#39; blue line, Francis headed toward the net, where he had the puck poked off his stick by defender Tomas Kaberle. Without breaking stride, Francis kicked the puck through the crease to O&#39;Neill, who lifted a shot over Curtis Joseph&#39;s left shoulder. <br> <br> It was vintage Francis, who won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in the early 1990s. <br> <br> ``He&#39;s so on,&#39;&#39; Maurice added. ``He&#39;s always been a big-game guy.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> It was nothing, said Francis, noting he was actually trying to get the puck to Sami Kapanen. <br> <br> ``It wasn&#39;t exactly picture-perfect,&#39;&#39; Francis said. ``But you talk about breaks, and needing them at this time of year. And this was one for us.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> It&#39;s been that way all year for the Hurricanes, who improved to 5-1 in overtime games and 7-2 in one-goal games this postseason. It helped that Carolina was involved in an NHL-high 27 overtime games this past regular season. <br> <br> ``I think we have prepared ourselves well all season long,&#39;&#39; Francis said. ``We&#39;ve talked right from Day 1 about being able to handle adversity, and being able to handle success and maintain an even keel.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Now it&#39;s the Maple Leafs&#39; turn to rebound from the latest in a long string of postseason setbacks. <br> <br> Toronto, which has overcome injuries to key players and survived two seven-game series, now faces questions about Quinn. He was listed in stable condition and remained hospitalized overnight as a precaution. <br> <br> Team doctor Darrell Ogilvie-Harris said Quinn could be released as soon as Wednesday and, pending test results, could return to the bench as soon as Game 4. <br> <br> ``I hoped it would be a rallying point, not a distraction,&#39;&#39; said Rick Ley, who took over for Quinn behind the bench. ``I don&#39;t know, possibly it was a distraction.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Ley coached his first playoff game since leading the Vancouver Canucks to the Western Conference semifinals in 1995. <br> <br> ``I don&#39;t think it helps that you&#39;re without your coach,&#39;&#39; center Alyn McCauley said. ``But I didn&#39;t feel like we were handicapped or that it disrupted us behind the bench.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> After Francis opened the scoring, tipping in Kapanen&#39;s point shot 5:15 into the first period, the Maple Leafs tied it on Bryan McCabe&#39;s power-play goal late in the second period. <br> <br> It was the third straight game Toronto has given up the opening goal. <br> <br> The Maple Leafs also played the third period and overtime without Alexander Mogilny, who leads the team with eight playoff goals. <br> <br> Mogilny was knocked over by Sean Hill in the opening minute, but returned for part of the first period and all of the second. <br> <br> NOTES: O&#39;Neill scored despite a badly swollen right eye, the result of being hit by a puck in the first period. ... Ley was 4-7 in the 1995 playoffs as coach with Vancouver, and 5-8 in two playoffs with the then Hartford Whalers. ... Linesman Ray Scapinello officiated his 400th career playoff game - an NHL record. In his 31st season, Scapinello leads all officials in having worked 2,382 games.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/5/194390