Penguins 4, Leafs 3 (overtime)

Some news and notes, numbers and quotes from the Penguins’ 4-3 overtime victory against Toronto at Consol Energy Center Wednesday night:

*** Blake Comeau completed his second career hat trick – and first since March 2, 2010 – by driving a shot past Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier from the slot at 2:53 of overtime. Comeau thought initially that Sidney Crosby, who was set up near the net, might have deflected the shot, but Crosby did not touch it. “I didn’t know who got it at first, to be honest,” Comeau said. “[Crosby] just skated toward me. He said he didn’t get it. So I’ll take it.”

*** Crosby didn’t get credit for the game-winner, but did pick up an assist that just happened to be his 800th point in the NHL. He reached that milestone in 571 games, faster than anyone in NHL history except Wayne Gretzky (352), Mario Lemieux (410), Mike Bossy (525), Peter Stastny (531) and Jari Kurri (558). “It’s a nice number,” Crosby said. “It’s nicer when you win, for sure.”

*** The victory allowed the Penguins to finish the first quarter of the season with a 15-4-2 record, good for a first-place tie with the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division.

*** Comeau staked the Penguins to a 1-0 lead 26 seconds into the game by backhanding a shot past Bernier.”Anytime you can score in the first minute, it’s a good feeling,” he said.

*** The Penguins have won their past two games in overtime.

*** Evgeni Malkin scored the Penguins’ second goal and set up their first and third, giving him five points in the past two games. “It’s impressive when you look at the volume of games we’ve played lately and the minutes he plays,” coach Mike Johnston said. “He carries his speed so well. He’s dangerous when he has the puck.”

*** The Penguins have nine victories in November, one shy of the franchise record. They have two games, both against Carolina, remaining this month.

*** Although they earned two points, the Penguins were sloppy for much of the game. “It wasn’t an easy one,” Crosby said. “It was kind of ugly out there for a bit. We just kind of kept our heads down and kept working and found a way to get a win.”

*** The Penguins have scored a league-best 30 goals during the first period this season.

*** Johnston, on the Penguins’ shaggy performance at times: “We were inconsistent throughout the game. I didn’t think we had the energy, I didn’t think we had the speed. We made some mistakes with the puck, with our puck management. We have to be better in that area. So in some ways, we weren’t sharp.”

*** The Penguins have taken a 1-0 lead in 17 of their 21 games.

*** The Penguins are 7-0-1 against Atlantic Division opponents, including three victories against Toronto.

*** Johnston, on Comeau: “I think it was pretty evident right away in exhibition play that he was playing with speed, he was playing with some confidence. He was playing with poise with the puck. And it just seems to keep going for him. He’s played on different lines as some guys have, he’s adjusted, adapted. He’s a very coachable individual. It’s interesting when players come to a new organization. If they get confidence, they get on a roll it sometimes can change their fortune because at one time, he was a very good hockey player.”

*** Malkin has at least one point in each of the Penguins’ 10 home games this season.

*** The Penguins are 5-0 against teams based in Canada this season, and 11-0-3 in their past 14 against franchises based there.

*** Comeau and Malkin have formed an impressive partnership during their past two games as linemates. “He’s done a really good job talking to me on the bench, helping me out, letting me know where he is,” Comeau said. “He wants the puck, so anytime he has it, you know he’s going to make plays. I either have to get open or go to the net.”

*** Malkin, who owns a six-game points streak, has at least one point in each of the Penguins’ 10 home games this season, and in 12 of his 13 career home playoff games against Toronto. Crosby actually does him one better, with one point – or more – in 13 of the 14 home games he has played against the Maple Leafs.

*** The Penguins have called off their practice scheduled for Thursday.