Gonchar scores twice, Penguins beat Toronto

TORONTO (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins got the break they needed.

Sergei Gonchar scored two goals during a strange 3-minute sequence that also saw a Maple Leafs penalty shot wiped out as the Penguins beat Toronto 4-1 on Saturday night. It was just the second victory in eight games for the Stanley Cup champions.

“That was kind of a game-changer for sure with the way things happened,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “We certainly built off that and from there on in, I thought we carried the play.”

The key sequence happened just past the midway point of a 1-1 game. With the Penguins on a power play, Gonchar scored a goal that went undetected and then tripped Alexei Ponikarovsky on a breakaway roughly 15 seconds later — causing the referee to signal for a penalty shot.

However, video review showed that Gonchar had scored prior to hauling down the Toronto forward so the time clock was turned back to 14:44 and the penalty shot became a hooking penalty because two goals can’t be scored at the same time.

“That was weird,” Crosby said.

Added Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury: “I was a little confused when all that happened.”

Even though the Leafs were made aware that the sequence was called correctly under the NHL’s casebook, coach Ron Wilson believes the ruling is based on “flawed logic.”

“I understand you can’t have two goals on one play, but why not?” Wilson said. “Why can’t you?”

As if that wasn’t strange enough, Gonchar scored his second goal of the night shortly after stepping out of the penalty box to give Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead.

The veteran defenseman was playing his first game since taking a puck off the knee in New Jersey on Dec. 30. He made an immediate impact.

“It was a pretty big effort back there from our blue line and Gonch is a big part of that,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “It’s nice to have that confident guy back there, a leader back there.”

Crosby and Bill Guerin also scored for Pittsburgh, which kicked off a five-game road trip that will see it travel through Western Canada. Fleury stopped 42 shots.