Red-Hot Penguins Rake Leafs

Malkin has first career hat trick, rookie goalkeeper improves to 6-0-0
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 4, 2008 5:43 AM CST
Red-Hot Penguins Rake Leafs
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Ty Conkiln, left, deflects a third period shot as Toronto Maple Leafs' Jason Blake (55) looks on with Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, right, during NHL hockey action in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008 The Penguins won 6-2. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)   (Associated Press)

Ty Conklin, the rookie called up to plug a gaping injury-induced hole at goalie for Pittsburgh, should have been a liability; instead, he is undefeated in seven appearances, and the Penguins made it five straight wins with a 6-2 drubbing of Toronto. Second-year star Evgeni Malkin had half the goals for his first career hat trick.

Maple Leafs netminder Scott Clemmensen, himself a replacement for the injured Vesa Toskala, took the loss, stopping just 18 shots of 24. The Pens clinched the game with their third, fourth, and fifth goals in a 48-second sequence in the third period—after winger Jarkko Ruutu fired up his team by picking a fight with Darcy Tucker. (More NHL stories.)

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