Leafs braced for arrival of Hurricanes

By LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun There's no Keith Primeau to crash the party, but the Maple Leafs expect a few other uninvited guests on their doorstep tonight when the Carolina Hurricanes visit.
Carolina uses its size effectively around the net, though Toronto general manager/ coach Pat Quinn has complained in the past that teams such as the Hurricanes and the Philadelphia Flyers are a crease-crashing hazard to goaltenders. That was before the National Hockey League liberalized the crease rule this season.
Quinn didn't rehash the issue yesterday at practice, but his feelings have been evident since last March. The Leafs have added Cory Cross and Chris McAllister as blue-line beef and Quinn has been preaching more toughness in the trenches since the team's elimination from the Eastern Conference final by Buffalo in the spring.
"Certainly you can say that's the way (Cross and McAllister) make their living," Quinn said. "Some other (defencemen) don't know how to to do it. But it's everyone's responsibility."
Cross saw a lot of the Hurricanes last season as his former club, the Tampa Bay Lightning, lost to them twice and tied them twice in Southeast Division play. Cross had four assists and six penalty minutes in the series.
"They're a hard-working team. They like to throw the puck at the net and go to it," Cross said. "They like to capitalize on other team's mistakes. Primeau (an unsigned free agent) isn't there and (6-foot-1 Ray) Sheppard is not with them, but they still have guys such as Martin Gelinas and Sami Kapinen."
Coach Paul Maurice's team is playing strong defence this season, with its 11 goals against the least in the Eastern Conference.
Much of Quinn's practice yesterday was aimed at the Leafs' perennial Achilles heel -- the power play. After a 2-for-10 showing in games in Chicago and St. Louis last Friday and Saturday, Toronto is 10th overall in the NHL at 20.7% efficiency, compared to 14.4% during the 1998-99 season and an awful 2-for-42 during the '99 pre-season.
"You always look for better execution," Quinn said, having chided the club again earlier this month for making too many pretty plays where a quick, hard shot would suffice.
"Normally you establish plays by a good point shot. It closes down the other team's box more quickly."
The Leafs also have concerns with penalty killing, having given up seven power-play goals during the past five games.

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