Leafs Get Revenge on Janssen, Beat Devils; Isles Lose in Overtime
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TORONTO — Kyle Wellwood and Nik Antropov scored, and enforcer Wade Belak got retribution for Toronto by fighting New Jersey’s Cam Janssen in the Maple Leafs 2–1 victory over the Devils on Tuesday night.
The last time the teams played on March 2 at New Jersey, All-Star Maple Leafs defenseman Tomas Kaberle sustained a concussion after a late hit from Janssen, who was suspended for three games.
Kaberle practiced Monday for the first time since the hit, but missed his eighth straight.
Fans booed Janssen when he stepped on the ice for his first shift and after he sent Yanic Perreault into the boards with a crushing check. Belak and Janssen immediately dropped their gloves at the start of Janssen’s second shift.
Belak landing several punches before Janssen connected at center ice. Fans chanted “Belak! Belak!” throughout the long bout.
Andrew Raycroft made 24 saves for the Leafs, who entered the game tied with Montreal and the New York Islanders for ninth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Carolina.
Travis Zajac scored for the Atlantic Division-leading Devils, who have lost four of five.
New Jersey’s Jay Pandolfo lost the puck on a breakaway, and the Leafs brought it back up ice. Mats Sundin made a drop pass to Wellwood, whose one-timer gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 18:33 of the first.
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LIGHTNING 4, ISLANDERS 3 Vincent Lecavalier tallied his 49th goal of the season and Filip Kuba scored 55 seconds into overtime last night as the Tampa Bay Lightning stopped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Islanders.
Kuba tapped in a perfect pass from Eric Perrin that left goalie Rick DiPietro in a defenseless position. DiPietro made his first start after missing most of three games because of injuries sustained in a mid-ice collision with Montreal’s Steve Begin one week earlier.
The loss was the fourth straight on a road trip for the Islanders, who rallied from a 2-0 deficit with three second-period goals against Johan Holmqvist, an embattled goaltender who rebounded from the Lightning’s 7–1 loss to Washington on Sunday to beat New York for the fourth time.
Tampa Bay swept the season series from the Islanders 4-0 and has beaten New York eight consecutive times.
