NHL PLAYOFFS : It Takes Two Overtimes for Maple Leafs to Beat Joseph

Doug Gilmour squeezed the puck past St. Louis goaltender Curtis Joseph 3:16 into the second overtime Monday night to give the Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the Blues in the opening game of the Norris Division final.

The Blues were outplayed, but Joseph, who had two shutouts in the semifinal sweep of Chicago, kept St. Louis in the game as the Maple Leafs outshot the Blues, 64-34.

Gilmour finally found the opening when, behind the net with the puck, the veteran center faked a move to one side to draw Joseph the wrong way, spun around and wrapped the puck into the open side of the net.

Toronto outshot St. Louis, 19-10, in the first overtime after holding a 42-22 edge in regulation.

Toronto’s Dave Andreychuk whipped a shot off the crossbar at 11:24 of the first overtime, and 30 seconds later Joseph was injured when Mike Foligno, checked by Garth Butcher, spun backward into the St. Louis crease.

Foligno’s right skate blade struck Joseph’s jaw, cutting him and knocking off his helmet. Joseph, wrapped in a towel blotted with blood, took a seat at the end of the bench and Guy Hebert was sent in. Hebert made one save, and 2 1/2 minutes after being hurt, Coach Bobby Berry sent Joseph back in.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night at Maple Leaf Gardens.

John Cullen scored on a power play for Toronto in the first period, and Philippe Bozon tied it on a three-on-two break for St. Louis in the second.

Toronto had 10 shots on Joseph to two by St. Louis on Felix Potvin in the first eight minutes of the third period, but the Maple Leafs couldn’t manage a go-ahead goal.

In the first period, Toronto outshot St. Louis, 11-6, and Cullen scored at 19:03 with Bret Hedican serving a penalty for tripping.