By JASON DIAMOS
The New York Times
Published: May 10, 2006
RALEIGH, N.C., May 9 — When it comes to the N.H.L., Tobacco Road is pretty far removed from Madison Avenue. And that suits Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal just fine, at least for now.
"It probably makes it easier," Staal, 21, said Tuesday about the lack of a spotlight that goes with playing hockey in North Carolina. "There's obviously attention now in the playoffs on our team and how we're doing. But it doesn't bother me or anything that people don't know me as well, or know the type of player I am as much."
All that could soon change. In his second N.H.L. season, the 6-foot-4, 204-pound Staal is one of the major reasons the Hurricanes lead the Devils, 2-0, in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 3 is Wednesday at Continental Arena.
Staal's desperation goal from in front with three seconds left in regulation beat Martin Brodeur and forced an unlikely overtime Monday night. It was Staal's fourth goal of the playoffs, and it came just 17.7 seconds after Scott Gomez scored for the Devils to break a 1-1 tie.
Staal's tying score set the stage for Carolina defenseman Niclas Wallin's winning goal 3 minutes 9 seconds into overtime in a 3-2 victory.
In his first N.H.L. postseason, Staal is tied with Ottawa's Martin Havlat and Dany Heatley and the Devils' Patrick Elias for the most points in the playoffs, with 12. Staal has recorded at least one point in seven consecutive games.
He scored the winning goal in overtime in Game 3 of Carolina's first-round series against the Canadiens, and the team has not lost since. The Hurricanes rallied against Montreal after losing the first two games at home, and they have now won six consecutive games.
"If he was playing in New York right now, he'd be a superstar already," said Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina's captain. "There's no question. He's one of the best players in the league. And the things he's done in the playoffs right now, if it was happening in a Ranger uniform, I'm sure he'd be all over the place."
Staal, from Thunder Bay, Ontario, may have a higher profile after he appears in a photo layout in next month's GQ magazine. Still, he has blossomed into one of the league's most promising young stars in an area dominated by Nascar and college basketball.
Carolina selected Staal with the second pick in the 2003 entry draft. He finished this season with 100 points, seventh in the league. His 45 goals ranked eighth over all.
"I think he's one of the best players in the league," Carolina Coach Peter Laviolette said. "As far as a star, I don't really get into names like that. Other people do. I don't. I just think he's one of the best players in the league."
Laviolette was asked Tuesday if a franchise like the Hurricanes could produce a bona fide superstar. “I think the people around the league are going to know his name just based on the way he plays the game,” he said. “And he’s only going to get better and bigger and stronger.”
The Staal name could be prominent around the league for at least the next several years. His brother Marc, a 19-year-old defenseman, was the Rangers’ first pick in last year’s draft. And his brother Jordan, a 17-year-old forward, is expected to be among the top five players selected in this summer’s draft.
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