Maple Leafs eliminate Senators, roll into conference finals

TORONTO -- Game 7s continue to bring out the best in Alexander Mogilny and the resilient Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mogilny scored twice, and Curtis Joseph stopped 19 shots in a 3-0 victory over Ottawa on Tuesday night that advanced the Maple Leafs to the NHL Eastern Conference finals.

The Maple Leafs, who return to the third round for the first time since 1999, will face the Hurricanes in a best-of-seven series that opens at Carolina on Thursday.

The celebration began with about 90 seconds left, when the soldout Air Canada Centre gave the Leafs a standing ovation that lasted well past the final horn.

It was the second straight seven-game series' victory for Toronto, which eliminated the New York Islanders with a 4-2 Game 7 win in the opening round. And it's the second straight Game 7 in which Mogilny has scored twice.

Mogilny, who also scored the game-winner in a 4-3 Game 6 victory on Sunday, has five goals in games when Toronto faces elimination this postseason.

Bryan McCabe also scored for a Toronto team that has refused to quit despite missing six regulars, including captain Mats Sundin (broken wrist), and was playing its 12th game in 22 days.

Flyers hire Hitchcock

VOORHEES, N.J. --Ken Hitchcock, who led the Stars to a Stanley Cup championship in 1999, was hired to lead the Flyers. He was the only candidate to meet with the team.

"He's exactly the coach this team needs," team chairman Ed Snider said.

Hitchcock, who served as an assistant coach in Philadelphia from 1990-93, was fired by the Stars in January. He met with Snider and general manager Bob Clarke on Monday, and worked out details on a four-year contract Tuesday.

Elsewhere

TSNAWARD: Jarome Iginla, a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player, was voted Player of the Year by The Sporting News. He received 101 votes to become the first Calgary player to earn the Sporting News Player of the Year award. Goaltender Patrick Roy and center Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche finished second and third with 22 and 17 votes, respectively, in balloting among NHL players.

HURRICANES: Defenseman David Tanabe skated Tuesday for the first time since breaking his right wrist a month ago, but his return for the Eastern Conference finals remained questionable. Tanabe has been sidelined since being injured in Game 1 of the opening-round playoff series against New Jersey. Tanabe has been fitted with a soft cast.

-- From wire reports