Carolina takes 2-1 lead over Maple Leafs
TORONTO, May 21 (UPI) -- Despite an eye injury, Jeff O'Neill scored in overtime to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night and a two games to one lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
After being hit by a puck in the first period that caused swelling to nearly shut his right eye, O'Neill netted his fourth goal of the postseason and second of the series to give Carolina its second consecutive overtime victory and fifth overall in the playoffs.
With three regulars still missing from their starting lineup, the Maple Leafs also played without Coach Pat Quinn behind the bench. Assistant Rick Ley coached the team.
After attending the team's morning skate Tuesday, Quinn was admitted to a hospital with a "chest condition" after complaining of pain near his heart. After undergoing tests, Quinn was reported to be in stable condition and was to remain overnight for observation.
The series resumes in Toronto on Thursday for Game Four.
Celtics even things with Nets
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., May 21 (UPI) -- Antoine Walker collected 26 points and 11 rebounds and the BostonCeltics shut down the New Jersey Nets Tuesday night in a 93-86 victory that evened the Eastern Conference finals at one game each.
The Celtics survived another sub-par game from All-Star Paul Pierce and a late rally led by Jason Kidd to take home-court advantage away from the top-seeded Nets. Boston hosts Games Three and Four on Saturday and Monday.
There were many similarities from Game One. Kidd had another triple-double. Pierce again shot poorly from the field and the line. And one team took charge early and maintained control throughout.
This time, however, it was Boston, with Walker sparking the offense and Tony Battie leading a defense that limited New Jersey to 33 percent (28-of-84) shooting.The Celtics were the far more aggressive team, winning the battle on both backboards and repeatedly beating the Nets to loose balls.
Gaints' Aurilia facing surgery
PHOENIX, May 21 (UPI) -- Rich Aurilia, the All-Star shortstop of the San Francisco Giants, has been diagnosed with bone chips in his right elbow and will undergo surgery on Wednesday.
Aurilia, who led the National League in hits last season, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday en route to San Francisco, where team physician Gary Fanton will perform the procedure. Aurilia is expected to miss four to six weeks following the surgery.
The 30-year-old Aurilia was hitting .259 with three homers and 11 RBI in 33 games this season but was coming off a season in which he batted .324 with 37 homers and 97 RBI.
Yanks put 'El Duque' on DL
NEW YORK, May 21 (UPI) -- The New York Yankees placed righthander Orlando Hernandez on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained upper back, retroactive to Thursday -- the same day fellow starter David Wells missed his scheduled start with an ailing back.
In eight starts, the 32-year-old Hernandez is 4-2 with a 3.44 ERA over 52 1/3 innings. He was clobbered by Tampa Bay on Wednesday, giving up eight runs and six hits in just 1 2/3 innings and scratched from his start Monday.
In 107 career starts for New York after defecting from Cuba, "El Duque" is 49-35 with a 4.07 ERA.
Wells, who turned 39 Monday, is laboring with a strained lower back. He was scratched from his start against Toronto on Tuesday and is day-to-day. The lefthander is 6-1 with a 3.86 ERA in nine starts this season.
Rangers demote Rocker a second time
ARLINGTON, Texas, May 21 (UPI) -- John Rocker failed to take advantage of a second chance.
The Texas Rangers on Tuesday optioned the struggling righthander to Class AAA Oklahoma of the Pacific Coast League and recalled lefthander Randy Flores from the RedHawks.
In his first season with the Rangers, the controversial reliever was demoted to Oklahoma on April 17 but refused to report before being recalled six days later.
Rocker is 0-1 with a 7.53 ERA in 17 relief appearances for the Rangers this season. He blew his chance at the closer's job after converting just one of four save opportunties.
Tribe releases slumping Brady Anderson
CLEVELAND, May 21 (UPI) -- Three-time All-Star outfielder Brady Anderson, unable to revive his career with the Cleveland Indians, was released Tuesday.
Anderson, 38, batted just .163 (13-for-80) with one homer and five RBI in 34 games this season, his first with the Indians after spending 14 with Baltimore. The Orioles released Anderson in November with one year remaining on his contract.
Anderson enjoyed some banner years with Baltimore, where he hit 209 homers and amassed a club-record 311 stolen bases, garnering All-Star appearances in 1992, 1996 and 1997.
Carter retiring to broadcast booth
NEW YORK, May 21 (UPI) -- Cris Carter, the NFL's second all-time leading receiver with 1,093 catches, is calling it a career and will become a broadcaster.
Carter announced his retirement on Tuesday after 15 NFL seasons and has accepted a position with HBO Sports, where he will serve as a co-host of the "Inside the NFL" show.
Carter caught 73 passes for 871 yards and six touchdowns last season, his 12th with the Vikings. The 36-year-old Carter is third all time in receiving yards with 13,833 and second in receiving touchdowns with 129. He and Jerry Rice are the only two NFL players with 1,000 career receptions.
Leaf reported headed for Seahawks
BRISTOL, Conn., May 21 (UPI) -- One day after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, quarterback Ryan Leaf was reported Tuesday to have agreed to a contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
According to the report by ESPN.com, Leaf will sign a one-year contract worth $525,000. The deal is contingent on Leaf passing a physical.
On Monday, the Dallas Cowboys became the third team to give up on the oft-maligned quarterback in a year. Leaf became expendable in Dallas with the emergence of Quincy Carter and recent acquisition of Stanford signl caller Chad Hutchinson.
A collegiate star at Washington State, Leaf was the second overall pick in the 1998 by the San Diego Chargers, but never came close to living up to expectations.
