O’Neill’s Goal Is an Eye-Opener

Jeff O’Neill didn’t let a severely swollen right eye keep him from giving the Carolina Hurricanes another overtime victory.

After being hit by a puck below his right eye earlier in the game, O’Neill instinctively knew where to go--to the net.

And that’s where he was, cruising in from the right circle, in time to convert Ron Francis’ kick-pass 6:01 into overtime, lifting the Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over Toronto in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday.

It was Carolina’s second consecutive overtime victory, and gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series that resumes Thursday at Toronto. All three games have been decided by 2-1 scores.

Francis also scored for the Hurricanes, who improved to 5-1 in overtime this postseason.

Bryan McCabe scored for the Maple Leafs, who not only lost high-scoring forward Alexander Mogilny to an undisclosed upper-body injury, but were without Coach Pat Quinn because of illness.

Earlier in the day, Quinn was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he had tests for an undisclosed chest condition. Listed in stable condition, Quinn remained hospitalized overnight as a precaution and was expected to watch the game on TV.

Team doctor Darrell Ogilvie-Harris said Quinn could be released as soon as this morning and, pending test results, could return to the bench as soon as Game 4.

“I don’t think it helps that you’re without your coach,” center Alyn McCauley said. “But I didn’t feel like we were handicapped or that it disrupted us behind the bench.”

Quinn’s longtime assistant, Rick Ley, coached his first playoff game since leading the Vancouver Canucks to the Western Conference semifinals in 1995.

“I hoped it would be a rallying point, not a distraction,” said Ley of Quinn’s ailment. “I don’t know, possibly it was a distraction.”

Mogilny, who leads Toronto with eight playoff goals, was knocked over by Sean Hill in the opening minute but returned for part of the first period and all of the second. He didn’t play after that.

Francis sparked the game-winning play, getting around defender Anders Eriksson at the Maple Leafs’ blue line.

He carried the puck to the net and, after having it tipped off his stick by Tomas Kaberle, Francis kicked the puck ahead. The puck dribbled to O’Neill, who shot over Curtis Joseph’s right shoulder.

“It obviously wasn’t one of his prettier assists, but it just kind of squirted free there,” said O’Neill, who was struck by a puck fired by McCabe in the first period. “It was just sitting right there, and I just tried to shoot it as quick as I could. Fortunately it went in.”

Francis laughed about the game-winner.

“It wasn’t exactly picture perfect, but you talk about breaks and needing them this time of year, that certainly was one for us,” Francis said.