It Takes Time, but Hurricanes Win

Desperate times can create unlikely stars in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Carolina defenseman Niclas Wallin has lived the dream twice.

Wallin scored 13:42 into overtime Sunday--his second overtime game-winner of these playoffs--as the Hurricanes defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1, in Game 2 to tie the Eastern Conference final.

Wallin’s overtime goal in Game 4 of the semifinals at Montreal capped one of the best comebacks in playoff history and kept Carolina from falling behind, 3-1, in that series. This one helped the Hurricanes avoid a two-game deficit heading to Toronto for Games 3 and 4 of the seven-game series.

“Our secret weapon got one for us again,” captain Ron Francis said of Wallin, a healthy scratch in 29 games during the regular season.

Wallin is starting in the playoffs because of an injury to regular David Tanabe.

“It’s so great for him,” Francis said. “This guy has hung in there. A lot of nights he didn’t have a job in our lineup and he had to sit on the side and work hard in practice. He’s had the opportunity here down the stretch and has done a great job for us. He’s been huge.”

Wallin’s shot from 30 feet, with Bates Battaglia creating traffic in front of Curtis Joseph, sent the Hurricanes off the bench for yet another wild celebration. His shot appeared to hit the leg of a Toronto defenseman before it went between Joseph’s pads.

“It was a lucky goal, but in overtime, games are often decided by a lucky goal,” said Jonas Hoglund, who had the game-winner in a 2-1 Toronto victory in Game 1.

“Like I said in Montreal, I’m not a goal scorer,” Wallin said. “In practice I can score some goals, but in game time I never get the shots. Now I have two overtime goals. It’s just unbelievable.”

Alyn McCauley’s game-tying goal with 7.4 seconds left in the third deflated the Hurricanes.

“We had to pick our lips up after the intermission,” Glen Wesley said. “We were a little tentative in the overtime early, but after that we got back to our game.”

Carolina improved to 4-1 in overtime in the postseason and to 6-2 in one-goal games.

“I don’t know if you can ever get used to this, but it’s definitely fun celebrating,” Battaglia said.

“Maybe in the end it was the right result. Maybe they worked a little harder than us tonight,” McCauley added.