Maple Leafs 4, Penguins 3
Phil Kessel continued his hot play on home ice with a goal and an assist as the Toronto Maple Leafs shaded the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 Saturday night.
Kessel's game winner midway through the third period was his league-best 10th of the campaign, and the two-point performance gives him 14 (eight goals, six assists) in just six home games this season.
With the teams even 2-2 through 40 minutes, a great individual effort from Dion Phaneuf led to the go-ahead goal for Toronto. Phaneuf had two chances to score - the second of which hit the post - before Clarke MacArthur banged home the loose puck at 3:08 of the third.
Some undisciplined play by Toronto led to a lengthy two-man advantage for Pittsburgh, and Evgeni Malkin made the Maple Leafs pay at 7:59 with a laser past netminder Jonas Gustavsson from the top of the circles.
Kessel's tally on a one-touch pass from Tim Connolly put the Maple Leafs back in front at 10:08, and Toronto held on from there to improve to 5-0-1 at home on the season.
Mikhail Grabovski and Connolly, with his first as a Maple Leaf, added goals for Toronto.
Matt Cooke and Chris Kunitz countered for the Penguins.