NHL PLAYOFFS : Overtime Goal Lifts Toronto Over Detroit

A goal by Nikolai Borschevsky at 2:35 of overtime Saturday night lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the seventh game of a Norris Division semifinal playoff series.

The Maple Leafs will play host to the St. Louis Blues to start the Norris Division final Monday night.

Bob Rouse, who scored a goal during the second period, sent a perfect pass from the right circle to Borschevsky, who deflected the puck past goaltender Tim Cheveldae on the stick side.

“You could see the play developing,” Detroit defenseman Steve Chiasson said. “Rouse got in there behind us, and it was over.”

Said Borschevsky: “(It was a) good play by Rouse. (It was a) great pass . . . very good. I scored a big goal, big for the team. (I’m) happy.”

Not so happy were the Red Wings, who were heavily favored to win the series before losing three of the first five games.

“We had high hopes throughout the year, since training camp,” Steve Yzerman said. “I don’t know. It’s over now. I can’t believe it.”

Toronto, which had the only two shots on goal during the overtime, outshot Detroit, 35-27.

Detroit was holding onto a 3-2 lead, and the game had been penalty-free, as the third period opened.

Detroit’s Jim Hiller drew the first penalty for high-sticking Sylvain Lefebvre at 11:50 of the third period, but the Maple Leafs didn’t get a shot on goal during a two-minute advantage, the only one of the game for either team.

“Not having a power play was odd,” Detroit Coach Bryan Murray said. “It affected us some.”

Doug Gilmour’s third goal of the series, from the slot on a pass from Wendel Clark, tied the game at 3-3 at 17:17 of the third period. The Maple Leafs outshot Detroit, 10-4, during the period.

“I don’t know if we could have played better,” Yzerman said. “We played pretty well, defensively. But we let them come back to tie it, then beat us, so I guess maybe we didn’t play our best.”

It was the third consecutive season the Red Wings went to Game 7 in the first round. They lost to St. Louis in 1991 and beat Minnesota last year. The last time Detroit lost a Game 7 at home was in 1965 during a semifinal series against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The last time the Maple Leafs and Red Wings needed overtime to decide a seven-game series was April 9, 1950, when Detroit defeated Toronto, 1-0, to win a divisional semifinal.