Crosby scores in return as Penguins down Panthers 3-2
PITTSBURGH: Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby scored in his season debut as the Penguins rallied to beat Florida 3-2 on Tuesday.
Crosby, who scored on a power play, missed the team’s first six games with a concussion.
Among other games, Minnesota scored four goals in the second period to cruise past Boston, New Jersey got two late goals from Travis Zajac and beat Arizona, and Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos led the Lightning past Toronto.
Pittsburgh’s Carl Hagelin and Eric Fehr also scored for the Penguins, who extended a sevengame unbeaten streak against the Panthers.
Marc-Andre Fleury, who has started the first seven games of the season for Pittsburgh, stopped 20 shots. Matt Murray, who was in goal for the Stanley Cup in June, returned as the backup after missing the first six games with a broken hand.
Reilly Smith scored a power-play goal and Mark Pysyk also scored for the Panthers, who have lost 11 of 12 against the Penguins in Pittsburgh.
Minnesota’s Charlie Coyle and Chris Stewart scored just 12 seconds apart during the second-period surge that led the Wild to a 5-0 win at Boston.
Devan Dubnyk made 27 saves, Ryan Suter and Jason Zucker each had a goal in the second period and Jason Pominville netted in the third for the Wild.
Boston was missing its top two goalies and the Wild capitalized after a lackluster first period.
New Jersey made it three wins from three home games by defeating Arizona 5-3 as Zajac pounced with two goals in the last 2:01.
Taylor Hall, acquired from Edmonton in the offseason, scored twice and Adam Henrique also had a goal for the Devils.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored twice in the third period for Arizona to tie it before Zajac’s two goals. Jordan Martinook also scored for the Coyotes.
Tampa Bay’s Stamkos matched a careerhigh with four points — two goals and two assists — as the Lightning beat Toronto 7-3.
Alex Killorn, Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Vladislav Namestnikov and Jonathan Drouin added goals for Tampa Bay.
William Nylander, James van Riemsdyk and Auston Matthews scored for the Maple Leafs, who were well beaten despite outshooting the Lightning 43-24.