Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – Blake Comeau scored 2:53 into overtime to
complete a hat trick and lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 win over the
Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists and Sidney Crosby collected two
helpers, giving the Pittsburgh captain 800 career points. Marc-Andre Fleury
stopped 24 shots for the Penguins, who won their second straight overtime
game.
Leo Komarov scored two goals and Tyler Bozak added a short-handed tally for
Toronto, which had won its previous two games following an embarrassing 9-2
loss to Nashville on Nov. 18.
Jonathan Bernier allowed four goals on 26 shots in the Maple Leafs’ fifth
consecutive loss to the Penguins.
After a scoreless third period, Comeau beat Bernier on a slap shot from the
point. Crosby was lurking in front and may have distracted the Toronto goalie
as he attempted to deflect the puck.
The Penguins started quickly as Comeau slid a backhander past a scrambling
Bernier only 26 seconds into the game.
Pittsburgh opened a 2-0 lead at 12:39 of the first period on a power play.
Malkin was in the high slot and one-timed Kris Letang’s pass past the glove of
Bernier, who was screened on the play.
Komarov erased the deficit with two goals separated by 2:37 in the second
period. He scored off a feed from Mike Santorelli at 8:11, then tipped a Dion
Phaneuf shot past Fleury at 10:48.
Comeau deflected Chris Kunitz’s shot past Bernier to give the Penguins a 3-2
lead at 13:19 of the second, but Bozak scored on a breakaway to tie things up
with 3:39 left before intermission.
Game Notes
Crosby joined Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr has the only players in Penguins
history to reach 800 points … Malkin has scored in three straight games and
has five goals and six assists during a six-game point streak. He has
registered at least one point in each of the Penguins’ first 10 home games
this season … Toronto forward Joffrey Lupul returned to the lineup after
missing 12 games with a broken bone in his right hand, while David Booth made
his Leafs debut after suffering a broken right foot in September.
