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Parenteau lifts Maple Leafs past Hurricanes 3-1

Feb 26, 2016 - 5:04 AM TORONTO (AP) Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau is unsure if he'll remain a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs beyond the trade deadline on Monday. He's just trying to focus on helping his team win.

Parenteau had a goal and an assist and the Maple Leafs earned their first victory in nearly two weeks, topping the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 on Thursday night.

''It's in the back of your mind obviously,'' Parenteau said of a potential trade. ''I try not to think about it. I try to block it (out). I have two kids. I have a wife, too. We try not to listen to the media or anything. We go about our business and go from there.''

Brad Boyes and Josh Leivo also scored for Toronto, and Jonathan Bernier made 28 saves for the Leafs, who won for the first time since Feb. 13. It was just the fifth victory in the past 21 games for the Leafs, currently the worst team in the Eastern Conference with 52 points.

''I wish he'd slow it down a little bit so we could keep him,'' said Nazem Kadri, who set up Parenteau's goal, which sealed just the fifth Leafs win in 21 games. ''I want him to have a shot at going to the Cup, too, this year. He wants nothing more than to win.''

Inked to a low-risk, high-upside one-year contract last summer following a buyout from Montreal, Parenteau has thrived under Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, for whom he credits for his resurgence.

Babcock says he simply stressed to Parenteau the level of work that would be required for him to reinvigorate his career.

''He's done it right and he's been important for us,'' Babcock said. ''He transports the puck. He's good on the power play. He makes plays. And he's important. I think he's been good with our young guys, too, so good for him.''

John-Michael Liles recorded the only goal for Carolina, and Cam Ward stopped 25 of 28 shots. Suffering just its seventh loss in regulation since the start of January, Carolina remained two points back of Pittsburgh (while playing three more games) for the final wild-card spot in the East.

Boyes opened the scoring for Toronto, notching his sixth goal this season on a power play. An unrestricted free agent after the season and another possible trade deadline candidate, Boyes has six points in the last seven games.

Liles, a former Leaf, tied it six minutes after Boyes' goal when his point shot somehow eluded Bernier following a faceoff in the Toronto zone.

Leivo pulled the Leafs back in front less than six minutes into the middle period, the fourth goal in as many games for the 22-year-old forward. Leivo capitalized on a 2-on-1 rush with Parenteau, depositing the feed from the 32-year-old.

Parenteau added his 16th goal late in the third period.

It was a stinging loss for the Hurricanes, who are hoping to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 2009.

''It doesn't matter where they are in the standings,'' Liles said of facing the Leafs, who sit last in the Eastern Conference with 52 points. ''We got outplayed pretty well in the first period and we didn't get our legs under us until probably the second and it ended up costing us.''

Carolina entered the night with 46 points since Dec. 5, trailing only the Washington Capitals among Eastern teams in that stretch. The Hurricanes also boast one of the league's top puck-possession rates this season.

Their surprising success is forcing some difficult questions for general manager Ron Francis ahead of the trade deadline, namely with captain Eric Staal. There's a chance the 31-year-old could be moved in the coming days, a reality that's hovered over Staal and the team in recent weeks.

''It's obviously been a tough time for Eric,'' said Jordan Staal, Eric's younger brother and teammate since the 2012-13 season.

The elder Staal has been a member of the Hurricanes since 2003, playing over 900 regular-season games with the club while capturing a Stanley Cup as a 21-year-old in 2006.

A one-time teammate, Francis has to decide whether to move on from Staal - who has to consider whether to waive his no-trade clause to help facilitate an exit from the only NHL home he's ever known.

Thursday may have been one of his finals games as a Hurricane.

''It's an awkward situation,'' Jordan Staal continued, speaking Thursday morning. ''But at the same time, he's come ready to play and ready to work every day and that's all you can ask for.''

NOTES: The Leafs confirmed that F James van Riemsdyk and Joffrey Lupul will not play again this season. Van Riemsdyk broke his foot in early January, but has yet to start skating and won't be ready to play again this year, his fourth with the Leafs. Lupul required sports hernia surgery and produced only 14 points in 46 games this season. ... Hurricanes F Andrej Nestrasil was hit hard by Kadri late in the second period and didn't return.