GAME SUMMARIES
Updated: Saturday October 14, 2000 3:56PM EST
Wednesday October 11, 2000 Ny Islanders at Toronto
Glenn Healy said he didn't mean to dislodge the net and give New York a chance to tie the game with a penalty shot.
The Toronto goalie was whistled for a delay of game, but stopped Brad Isbister's ensuing penalty shot with just 34 seconds remaining as the Maple Leafs held on to beat the Islanders 3-2 Wednesday night.
"The ramifications are too dangerous for me to do it on purpose," said Healy, who appeared to derail the net after being knocked into it by teammate Darcy Tucker.
Healy blocked Isbister's backhanded shot with his right pad.
"He made a pretty move, but I just managed to get something on it," said Healy, who stopped 18 shots.
Isbister thought he had beaten Healy.
"Obviously I'm very frustrated," Isbister said. "There was definitely a spot for me to put it in."
Toronto went 1-for-8 on the power play as Rangers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck made 30 saves.
"We had an opportunity to win, and we didn't do it," Vanbiesbrouck said. "Healy forced him to his back hand, and that's what a goalie's fundamental approach should be."
After New York's Roman Hamrlik received a cross-checking penalty, Toronto took a 3-2 lead when Petr Svoboda centered a pass to Mats Sundin, who shot it past Vanbiesbrouck with 5:45 remaining.
"I just tried to sweep the puck into the net," Sundin said. "Svoboda did a good job of getting it to me."
Garry Valk, who had a goal and an assist, gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 12:22 of the first after tipping in Bryan McCabe's shot from the point.
Oleg Kvasha tied it 1-1 at 12:40 of the second after he intercepted McCabe's pass, faked a shot, and snapped it past Healy.
Less than a minute later, Mariusz Czerkawski beat Healy with a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
"In the 16 years that I've played I can't say that's the only weak goal I've ever let in," Healy said. "I've had my fair share, but as an athlete, and as a veteran, you think about the next one that you're going to stop."
Sergei Berezin tied it 2 after taking a pass from Valk and shooting the puck past Vanbiesbrouck at 3:44 of the third.
Monday October 9, 2000 Dallas at Toronto
Although Brett Hull plays nothing like his father did, he's now ahead of him on the career goals list. Hull scored his 611th goal, breaking a tie with his father, Bobby, as Dallas Stars defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 Monday night.
"It's kind of eerie to be able to put up the same numbers, and yet be so opposite," Hull said. "I think it makes it more special.
"The first thing you should notice is 'Holy cow, this kid can't skate a lick, and his father was one of the most graceful guys to ever play the game with power and speed,' and I'm the dead opposite. I play the game more from the brain as opposed to the body."
Hulls is now three goals short of passing Mario Lemieux for eighth place on the career list.
"No matter how many goals I've scored I'm certainly not flashy, and when you're not flashy you almost look like a plumber out there and they forget about you," Hull said.
"Plus I'm not a big celebrator or very physical, so you don't have people thinking about you and that's how to stay invisible."
Toronto coach Pat Quinn, who once played against Bobby, said the only similarity between the two is that they're both blond.
"Bobby was the dominate one. He was 'Give me the puck and I'll bull through everybody,"' Quinn said. "Brett has always gotten himself into a position where a good playmaker could find him. Brett has that incredible talent."
Hull one-timed a pass from Morrow to tie the game 7:22 into the last period.
"It was nice to see him pass his father," Toronto's Darcy Tucker said. "But that was the turning point."
Less than two minutes later, Derian Hatcher took a pass from Hull and sent a shot that deflected off the boards to Morrow, who put it past Curtis Joseph.
Morrow and Hull also assisted on Joe Nieuwendyk's goal with 6:02 remaining in the game.
Hull and Morrow each had a goal and two assists in the third period.
Dallas goalie Ed Belfour stopped 30 shots.
Rookie defenseman Petr Svoboda gave Toronto a 1-0 lead with his first career goal 14:22 into the game.
Joseph had 20 saves for Toronto.
Saturday October 7, 2000 Montreal at Toronto
If Toronto is to contend for the Stanley Cup, Curtis Joseph will be the biggest reason why.
Joseph, limited by injury to two exhibition games, had 26 saves as the Maple Leafs opened their season with a 2-0 victory Saturday night over the Montreal Canadiens.
"It was perfect," Joseph said. "It's important to start the season this way."
With Joseph in goal, the Maple Leafs are one of the teams favored to win the Stanley Cup, something Toronto hasn't done since 1967.
"We don't want to have to depend on Joseph winning all the hockey games for us, but he's going to have to win some," coach Pat Quinn said. "Clearly he's been a major part of any success we've had."
Joseph, recovering from a strained groin, got the 27th shutout of his career. It was Toronto's first opening-night shutout since beating Boston in 1984.
"My groin feels pretty good," said Joseph, who strengthened it by using flippers in a pool. "It was just a matter of getting it strong."
Former Canadien Jonas Hoglund and Sergei Berezin scored for Toronto, which has won five straight home games against Montreal. It was the 647th meeting of the historic rivals, a series Montreal leads 310-252-84.
Montreal's Oleg Petrov appeared to have plenty of room to stuff the puck in with two minutes to go in the first period, but Joseph got a leg down to block the shot.
"I'm sure happy he's behind me now," former Canadien Shane Corson said of Joseph. "You can see why he's one of the greatest goalies in the world."
Midway through the second period, Joseph stacked the pads and robbed Saku Koivu of a goal with a sprawling stop.
"Joseph came up big for them again," Koivu said.
Berezin scored with just 3:18 remaining. He converted a give-and-go with Igor Korolev, tapping the puck past Jeff Hackett.
The Canadiens, who lost 8-4 to New Jersey on Friday night, went 0-for-9 on the power play and had just five shots in the third period.
Hackett, who was pulled in the second period Friday night, stopped 17 of 19 shots.