Mike Comrie scored with nine seconds left in overtime as the New York Islanders topped the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in a game where both clubs resorted to using their backup goaltenders.
Comrie's second goal of the game came after the speedy forward converted a rebound on Richard Park's shot. It deflected off the stick of Toronto defenceman Ian White and appeared to throw off the timing of Maple Leaf goaltender Andrew Raycroft.
Toronto's Mats Sundin circles the New York net in the first period of Wednesday's game.
(Ed Betz/Associated Press)
Raycroft stopped 24 shots in his first appearance in net in more than a month, after it was announced before the game that Vesa Toskala was day to day with a groin pull. Toskala had started the club's last 12 games, helping spearhead a turnaround after Toronto's poor start to the season.
Raycroft hadn't played since allowing two goals on his first seven shots on Nov. 24, as the Leafs were drubbed 5-1 by Phoenix.
"I was hoping to at least get to a shootout," said Raycroft, who is likely to get another start Thursday when the Leafs conclude their seven-game road trip at Philadelphia. "All I've done the last month and a half is shootouts. I wanted to see if some of that work was going to pay off."
The Maple Leafs have won just two of six games on this road trip (2-4-2), with the loss in New York marking the third time during that span that the club has gone down in the final seconds.
DiPietro goes down
The Islanders had their own unusual goaltending situation play out on Wednesday. Rick DiPietro left after making seven saves and earning an assist in the first period.
Wade Dubielewicz stopped 21 of 22 shots in relief of DiPietro, who suffered a knee injury during warmups. The backup was tested most severely in overtime, when Toronto put sustained pressure on a power play but could not score.
DiPietro won't make the trip to Ottawa for Thursday night's game against the Senators.
"He felt good enough in warmup and wanted to give it a try," Islanders coach Ted Nolan said. "He'll take an MRI and see what the damage is. We give him full marks for giving it a try."
Alex Steen had two goals for Toronto (15-15-7), and Mark Bell also scored.
Andy Hilbert and Bill Guerin were the other marksmen for New York (18-15-2).
Tucker breaks slump
Toronto's Matt Stajan set up the first goal of the game, picking up a loose puck near New York's right faceoff circle, and fed Steen in the slot at 6:13.
Hilbert replied just 49 seconds later on a play set up by Chris Campoli and former Maple Leaf Bryan Bedard.
Toronto regained the lead later in the period when Darcy Tucker drew DiPietro out of position and fed Bell, who had an empty net to deposit his second of the season.
It was Tucker's first assist in 20 games. He has just two goals in that span.
DiPietro set up New York's second goal by firing the puck up ice. Comrie ended the play by speeding past Toronto's Hal Gill and beating Raycroft on a breakaway.
Late in the period, Guerin emerged with the puck from a scrum in the slot and fired a shot past Raycroft, who went down early on the play.
Teams tighten defence
The middle frame was as uneventful as the first was exciting. Both clubs tightened their defence, with Toronto holding a 7-4 shot advantage.
After not testing Dubielewicz in the second, the Maple Leafs scored a short-handed goal just 1:15 into the third period. Steen sped down the right wing and fired a shot past the goaltender's arm for his seventh of the season.
Comrie, as well as Sean Bergenheim and Jason Blake of the Maple Leafs all hit the post in the third to send the game into overtime
Toronto had hammered New York 8-1 in the only previous meeting between the clubs, on Oct. 11.
The Islanders entered Wednesday's game with a league-low 79 goals.
Blake played in his first game in Uniondale, N.Y., since leaving the Islanders in the summer after more than six seasons with the club.
Blake, who has diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in September, was honoured with a video tribute before the game.
"Obviously coming back, it was good," Blake said. "You wanted to win the hockey game and get it done."
With files from the Associated PressRelated
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