Mogilny Puts Leafs in Seventh Heaven

The resilient Toronto Maple Leafs keep advancing in the playoffs because Alexander Mogilny continues to score big goals in Game 7s.

Mogilny was at it again Tuesday night, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over Ottawa that advanced the Maple Leafs to the Eastern Conference finals.

Curtis Joseph stopped 19 shots and Bryan McCabe also scored for the Leafs, who will face the Carolina Hurricanes in a best-of-seven series that starts Thursday at Raleigh, N.C.

It was the second consecutive seven-game series victory for Toronto, which eliminated the New York Islanders with a 4-2 victory in Game 7 in the opening round.

And it was the second consecutive Game 7 in which Mogilny scored twice.

While the Air Canada Centre was still buzzing with “Go Leafs Go” chants, Mogilny sounded almost subdued.

“I don’t understand what the fuss is all about,” Mogilny said. “There’s a bigger hurdle coming up. I don’t know why everybody’s so excited. The last time I checked you have to win four series.”

Perhaps, the excitement comes because nearly everyone counted out the banged-up and weary Maple Leafs, who were without six regulars, including captain Mats Sundin (broken wrist), and were playing their 12th game in 22 days.

“Whenever we face adversity, we don’t pack it in at all,” center Alyn McCauley said. “It seems the longer the series goes on, the longer the game goes on, the stronger we get. I don’t know if that’s the team character or conditioning, but it seems that way.

“Maybe we’re just the marathon runners and not the sprint runners.”

The same cannot be said about the Senators, who continued to live down to their reputation of folding under playoff pressure, blowing a 3-2 series advantage, and squandering leads in its three previous games--including a 2-0 lead in a 4-3 loss in Game 6 on Sunday.

The Senators have never advanced past the second round and have been eliminated by Toronto in three consecutive playoffs.

“Failure to get it done. We had them on the ropes a few times,” Ottawa defenseman Wade Redden said. “You can look back at a number of things throughout the series.”

Mogilny opened the scoring with a power-play goal 11:49 into the second period.

Waiting with the puck in the right corner, Mogilny tried to thread a pass through the middle to McCabe, who was sneaking in from the point. Instead, Mogilny’s pass hit the side of Ottawa defender Sami Salo’s skate, and bounced in.

Mogilny made it 2-0, scoring on a delayed penalty 5:14 into the third period. After Ottawa’s Todd White bowled over Joseph, Tomas Kaberle led a rush up the right side.

Kaberle’s cross-ice pass found Mogilny, who lifted a shot over diving Ottawa goalie Patrick Lalime.

McCabe sealed the victory with 5:56 left.

Mogilny refused to be referred to as a clutch performer.

“I never was,” Mogilny said. “I’m just a hockey player. I’m not Steve Yzerman or Mario Lemieux. I’m Alex Mogilny.... I accept who I am and I’m just trying to be part of the group.”