Maple Leafs 5, Devils 3
Joffrey Lupul scored three goals as the Toronto Maple Leafs spoiled Martin Brodeur's return to the lineup, defeating the host New Jersey Devils 5-3 Wednesday night.
Brodeur, who had missed the previous seven games with a shoulder injury, looked nothing like a future Hall of Famer. The 39-year-old allowed five goals on the first 16 shots he faced to fall to 0-2-0 on the season.
With the score tied 2-2 early in the second period, Lupul gave Toronto its third lead at 6:31. Mike Komisarek's original shot was kicked out by Brodeur and went straight to Lupul, who shot into a wide-open net for his sixth goal of the year.
After David Clarkson drew the Devils even less than two minutes later, Lupul struck again at 9:45. His shot from in close deflected off the stick of a New Jersey defender and fooled Brodeur, giving Toronto a fourth one-goal advantage.
Lupul completed his first hat trick since December 2007 in style, banging home his own rebound after a nice centering pass from Mikhail Grabovski at 13:13. It marked the fifth time in his career that Brodeur has allowed five or more goals to the Maple Leafs.
Joey Crabb and Grabovski had Toronto's other goals, while Dainius Zubrus and Patrik Elias countered for the Devils.