McCauley scores twice as Maple Leafs edge Senators

OTTAWA -- Here's a switch -- the Toronto Maple Leafs actually had good things to say about NHL officials.

After spending most of the playoffs complaining about calls that went against them, the Maple Leafs got a critical one in their favor, allowing them to hang on for a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.

A video review with 25.4 seconds remaining disallowed what had initially been ruled a Senators goal, and the Leafs managed to tie their Eastern Conference semifinal series at two games apiece.

"That's the only call they could've made," Toronto's Shayne Corson said. "The puck didn't go into the net. Obviously, we're happy with that call."

The play began when Ottawa's Chris Phillips checked Bryan McCabe off the puck behind the Toronto net. Leafs goaltender Curtis Joseph stopped Phillips' wraparound attempt but couldn't find the puck, which lay under him. Ottawa's Marian Hossa dove head-first into the crease and pushed Joseph into the net.

Referee Kevin Pollock, standing behind the net, ruled it a goal. A video review showed the puck did not cross the line, and what Pollock saw was the black part of a stick.

"I was standing right there and I thought there was no way the puck went in," said McCabe. "I really didn't have a doubt in my mind. He pointed, but there was no puck in the net. I really wasn't too worried."

The Senators refused to make the ruling an issue.

"There's not much that we can do now," Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said.

Alyn McCauley scored twice, both times converting rebounds of Gary Roberts shots, as the Maple Leafs won their first road game of the postseason after four losses.

Wade Redden scored for the Senators, who squandered a lead for the first time this postseason (5-1) while also posting their first home loss (3-1).

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is at Toronto on Friday.

Wednesday's finish was a curious turn of events after the Maple Leafs had spent the past two days complaining about the officiating in Monday's 3-2 loss. They had been particularly incensed that Ottawa's Benoit Brunet interfered with Joseph on Alfredsson's eventual game-winner.

Much went Toronto's way in Game 4, including a goaltender interference penalty when Ottawa's Shane Hnidy lost his balance and crashed into Joseph.

The Leafs rallied back after Redden opened the scoring with a power-play goal 2:15 into the second period.

After tying the game four minutes later, McCauley's game-winnner came with 2:43 left in the second. Roberts was stopped on a wraparound attempt, but McCauley chipped the loose puck over prone Ottawa goalie Patrick Lalime.

The goal came on a power play -- Toronto's first of the series -- and was only the second power-play goal Ottawa has allowed in nine playoff games.

McCauley, who played his junior hockey in Ottawa, was pleased to hear boos from the sold-out Corel Centre following his second goal.

"I think for most of the time I was here I got cheered," McCauley said. "It was nice to come back and have a game like this. The most important time of the year."

The Senators managed just three shots in the first 20 minutes, tying a franchise playoff low set twice, most recently in a 2000 first-round game against Toronto.

That start -- not how the game ended -- is what discouraged the Senators most.

"We didn't do a good enough job getting good dump-ins, where we could forecheck hard," said Alfredsson. "We made it a lot easy for their defensemen tonight."

The Senators lost defenseman Sami Salo to an undisclosed upper body injury, after he crashed heavily into the boards going after a loose puck two minutes into the second period.

Toronto defenseman Karel Pilar did not return after taking a shot off the thumb early in the third period.

Notes: Ottawa's playoff record dropped to 16-25, having lost 11 of those games by one goal, including seven in overtime. ... The Maple Leafs' penchant for criticizing officials drew criticism from the Toronto media. "Under the guidance of Pat Quinn, the Leafs have gained the reputation as hockey's most unrelenting whiners, a group that starts bellyaching as soon as they get to the rink if their cafe lattes aren't quite hot enough," wrote Toronto Star hockey columnist Damien Cox. ... Toronto right winger Mikael Renberg (hamstring) doesn't think he'll return to action this series. Renberg said he experienced much pain in returning to play 10 minutes in Game 3, after missing seven games. Defenseman Jyrki Lumme (upper body) was also scratched.