Leafs Top Devils: Lupul's Hat Trick Spoils Brodeur's Return

New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur had a less than ideal return to the game as Joffrey Lupul scored a hat trick in the second period and the Toronto Maple Leafs (8-3-1) skated to a 5-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils (4-5-1) Wednesday night at the Meadowlands Arena.

Lupul’s hat trick was only the second by a Leaf in the past three years.

The other was turned in by Phil Kessel against Ottawa in the second game of the season.

The two of them on the top line, with a rejuvenated Tim Connolly (who notched two assists in this game), are looking like one of the most dangerous lines in the league.

The 39-year-old Brodeur had been out since October 13 with a bruised right shoulder, and did not look particularly comfortable in the crease this night, though he did make a spectacular stick save on a streaking Kessel mid-way through the third.

Kessel laughed off the robbery, as only a man in the scoring lead can do.

Mikhail Grabovski also continued to roll, potting his fifth of the year on a flubbed shot that found Brodeur uncharacteristically out of position.

Joey Krabb, called up from the AHL Toronto Marlies only the day before, started the scoring for the Maple Leafs, batting in a puck from close in. 

Maple Leafs goaltender Jonas Gustavsson, making his seventh straight start in the absence of James Reimer, out with a head injury, picked up his fourth victory of the year. 

Gustavsson has been making the most of the injury to the number one, getting back some much need confidence.

Danius Zubrus, Patrik Elias and David Clarkson scored for the Devils, who failed to look dangerous throughout the entire match, while playing in front of their usual paltry and uninspired home crowd.

Though the game was by and large a sloppy affair, the Maple Leafs controlled the play for the bulk of the time, taking the lead four times throughout the game while never trailing.

Particularly impressive for the visitors was a fidelity to a system of fundamental hockey that included solid cycling of the puck in the offensive zone by all lines.  

Credit must go to coach Ron Wilson for keeping this surprising team’s nose to the grindstone.

8-3-1, and still tops on the North East. It may be time to start saying with some confidence that the Maple Leafs a good team.