Blake, Toskala shine as Maple Leafs beat Canadiens 5-2

Published 7:08 pm Saturday, February 7, 2009

MONTREAL — Jason Blake scored twice in the third period, and Vesa Toskala stopped 31 shots to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Luke Schenn scored his first NHL goal in the first period, and Nikolai Kulemin restored Toronto’s one-goal lead with his eighth goal early in the second.

Blake scored 3:07 into the third to put Toronto up by two. He made it 4-1 when he beat Carey Price at 9:13 for his 19th goal of the season, and second within 6:06.

Jeff Finger scored Toronto’s fifth goal with 1:04 remaining in the third as the Maple Leafs evened the season series between the rivals at two wins apiece.

Toronto improved to 3-1-1 in its last five games.

Matt D’Agostini and Tom Kostopoulos scored for Montreal, which has lost seven of its last nine, including a 3-2 loss in Buffalo on Friday night.

Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Van Ryn went to the dressing room 4:41 into the second, shortly after he was driven awkwardly into the boards by Montreal’s Max Pacioretty, who was called for charging on the play at 2:47.

Van Ryn, who did not return, has missed a total of 29 games to injury this season, including an 11-game stretch following a 6-3 win over the Canadiens on Nov. 8, a game he left after sustaining a concussion when he was checked into the boards from behind by Kostopoulos.

After Blake’s two third-period goals increased Toronto’s lead to 4-1, Kostopoulos drew Montreal within two when he lunged along the ice to swat in a loose puck at the left edge of the crease at 11:02.

Price, who made 36 saves, started in place of backup Jaroslav Halak, who fell ill before the game.

Schenn opened the scoring 14:37 in as Toronto enjoyed an 18-5 margin in shots in the opening period.

The 19-year-old defenseman, who was chosen fifth overall by Toronto last summer, beat Price with a shot from the outside edge of the right faceoff circle.

Schenn’s goal came just 20 seconds after referee Eric Furlatt disallowed an apparent goal by Kulemin. A video review supported Furlatt’s ruling that Kulemin’s stick made contact with the puck above the height of the crossbar when he tapped a rebound of Pavel Kubina’s shot out of midair and into the net at 14:17.

D’Agostini scored his ninth goal on a two-man advantage 25 seconds into the second.

Kulemin restored Toronto’s one-goal lead when he beat Price from the slot at 2:37.

Montreal held a 15-5 shot advantage in the second, but was outshot 41-33 overall.

Notes: Schenn has five assists. … Canadiens enforcer Georges

Laraque played his second straight game after returning from a back injury. He fought Brad May 1:16 in.