RALEIGH, N.C. - Who were those two strangers wearing the white jerseys Sunday night, and how much longer will one or the other be staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs?The Leafs stepped onto the ice at Carolina's RBC Center with Nos. 7 and 8 in uniform together for the first time this season, and it took only a few moments for Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo to have an impact on the hockey club.
Colaiacovo was on the ice six minutes into the opening period when White scored his first goal in his first game of the season, but the weary Maple Leafs were ultimately subdued 6-4 by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Toronto's record fell to 5-4-3, identical to the club's mark after 12 games last season.
White did not appear in any of the Leafs' first 11 games, while Colaiacovo sat out the previous six matches and seven of the past eight. So Sunday night's dual appearance was either strategic intuition by coach Ron Wilson or a classic showcase for general manager Cliff Fletcher, who admitted he will ultimately trim his bloated defence corps.
"We've had preliminary discussions with a few managers," Fletcher said during the game. "And there will be a time I'm sure in the near future when a trade could be available for us. We'd be looking to move just one defenceman and hopefully get a forward in return that would fit into our scheme of things."
A three-goal outburst in a 3:20 span late in the second period turned around the game for Carolina, erasing a 3-1 lead for the visitors. Ray Whitney, Dwight Helminen and Tuomo Ruutu did the damage against Leafs' backup goalie Curtis Joseph, with Helminen notching his first career goal.
The quick strike occurred fewer than 24 hours after a five-goal explosion late in the third period by the Leafs at the Air Canada Centre obliterated a 2-0 lead for the New York Rangers.
Though White lined up as a winger against the Hurricanes, his natural position in the NHL has been on defence. To make room for White and Colaiacovo, Wilson had to scratch Jonas Frogren and Anton Stralman, continuing a trend that has seen two blue-liners in the press box through the early part of the schedule.
But Fletcher insisted he will not pull the trigger simply to make decisions easier for his coach. "No, we're not going to trade somebody just for the sake of making a deal," he said. "It would only happen in a case where we could get someone we really like to help us up front."
Fletcher dismissed rumours he was pursuing Atlanta sharpshooter Ilya Kovalchuk. "We haven't talked to the Thrashers about anything," the GM said. "That's one rumour that has no authenticity whatsoever."
White understands the situation both he and the Leafs are in.
"If you look at the numbers, someone has to move," he said after the game.
"Teams don't carry nine guys (on defence) so something has to happen. It's great to play (in Toronto) because I have tons of friends there but I'm up for anything that will keep me on the ice."
Colaiacovo saw only 41 seconds of playing time in the third period. "Carlo got hit with a puck and was limping around," Wilson said. "We needed someone with a little jump and Ian White was providing that for us."
White's goal was the only one of the opening period. The Hurricanes, dressed in their predominantly black third jerseys, tied the score 34 seconds into the middle period when Joe Corvo's slap shot deflected past Joseph off defenceman Jeff Finger. The Leafs then gained a 3-1 lead on consecutive goals fewer than four minutes apart by Mikhail Grabovski.
But that was it for the visitors, as the Hurricanes took control with their late-period spree. Carolina got some insurance early in the third from Chad Larose, which came in handy after Niklas Hagman slapped a bouncing puck past Hurricanes backup Michael Leighton at the 8:44 mark. Eric Staal iced the win with an empty-net goal.
Joseph made his second start of the season and his record fell to 0-2-1.
Rookie defenceman Luke Schenn played the game on his 19th birthday.
Toronto and Carolina meet again at the Air Canada Centre Tuesday night.
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