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Sundin, Kaberle help Maple Leafs to first win

Oct 7, 2007 - 3:58 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Mats Sundin is on the verge of becoming the Toronto Maple Leafs' all-time leading goal scorer. Against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, the Swedish captain displayed his ability to set up tallies.

Sundin collected his third assist of the game on defenseman Tomas Kaberle's power-play goal in overtime as the Maple Leafs edged the Canadiens, 4-3.

Tied with Darryl Sittler for first place on the franchise list with 389 goals, Sundin climbed within one point of pulling even with the Hall of Famer for Toronto's all-time points lead. Sittler collected 916 points during his stellar career with the Maple Leafs.

Sundin picked up his third assist of the game with 1:34 remaining in overtime. With Montreal defenseman Francis Bouillon serving a holding penalty, Kaberle dished down low to Sundin in the left corner.

Kaberle received a return pass and fired the puck between the pads of goaltender Cristobal Huet from above the left faceoff circle for the victory.

"It was nice to score on the power play," Kaberle said. "We moved the puck around well. We've played good the first two games, but I'm glad we got the win and I'm glad I could contribute."

"I'm glad we scored a power-play goal," Maple Leafs coach Paul Maurice said. "Sure, we missed a couple, but we scored the right one."

The win was Toronto's first of the season and the 2,500th in the history of the club.

"The Leafs were hungry tonight," Montreal captain Saku Koivu said. "Things happen. It doesn't matter what time or what part of the season you play these guys, it's going to be tough."

Defenseman Mathieu Dandenault, who was playing at right wing on a line with Bryan Smolinski and Steve Begin, got the scoring started in the battle of the "Original Six" clubs, knocking in a loose puck that bounced around on the doorstep at 2:43 of the first period.

Toronto drew even less than two minutes later as blue-liner Ian White blasted a slap shot from the top of the right circle just inside the left goalpost at 4:34 for his first goal of the season.

With the Maple Leafs on the power play six minutes into the middle session, Chris Higgins completed a pass from the left corner to defenseman Andrei Markov, who beat goaltender Vesa Toskala high to the glove side with a wrist shot from the slot for a shorthanded tally and a 2-1 edge for the Canadiens.

Andrei Kostitsyn increased the advantage with 3:27 remaining in the second, but Huet made a costly error less than 2 1/2 minutes later to allow Toronto to close the gap.

From the left side of the net, Huet attempted to wrap the puck around the boards. But it took an unfortunate bounce off the end boards, allowing Sundin to gain possession and feed Alexei Ponikarovsky, who beat an unsettled Huet from the slot with 70 seconds left to pull the Maple Leafs within 3-2.

"The line was clicking," Ponikarovsky said. "It worked for us this game and we'll see what's going to happen. Every guy on our team is skilled, we have great skill in this dressing room. It doesn't matter who you're playing with."

Another turnover early in the third resulted in another tally by Toronto. Markov coughed up the puck in the right circle to Sundin, who set up Ponikarovsky in the slot for his second goal of the game at 2:55, knotting the contest.

Toronto, which went 1-for-5 on the power play, was playing its third game in four nights.

"It's very difficult to be crisp when you're tired," Maurice said.