NHL ROUNDUP : Lemieux Has 3 Assists in Return

Mario Lemieux, who had been sidelined because of a back injury since March, had three assists Saturday night at Quebec to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 6-5 victory.

Lemieux underwent off-season surgery and was expected to be ready for the season opener. There were complications, however, and it was the Penguins’ 51st game when he returned.

He scored 45 goals in 59 games last season, despite back problems that limited his playing time. When he was unhurt the two previous seasons, he was the NHL scoring champion and had 155 goals, 85 of them in 76 games in 1988-89.

Lemieux looked sluggish early, but in the second period, he set up goals by Mark Recchi and Bob Errey to help open a 3-1 lead. His third assist came on the goal that made the score 5-2.

“I was apprehensive,” Lemieux said. “I must have looked awful in the first period. I was busy avoiding hits. But after that I just played. I feel relieved. It’s good to get a game under your belt.”

Lemieux played about 18 minutes. He said he hopes to be ready to play his usual 30 minutes per game in a few weeks.

Hartford 5, Philadelphia 3--The Flyers not only lost at Hartford, Conn., they lost their top scorer, Rick Tocchet. He suffered a pulled groin muscle early in the game and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Tocchet, No. 2 behind Brett Hull with 34 goals, had a hat trick Thursday against Washington.

Pat Verbeek scored twice to help the Whalers win their fifth in a row at home.

Montreal 4, Buffalo 1--The injury list keeps growing, but the Canadiens continue their pursuit of the Adams Division leader, Boston.

Two more defensemen, Eric Desjardins and Odelein Mathieu, suffered ankle injuries at Montreal, but the Canadiens won their fourth in a row.

The Canadiens finished with only four defenseman, but still ended the Sabres’ five-game winning streak.

The Canadiens were already without injured defensemen Petr Svoboda and Lyle Odelein. Centers Brian Skrudland and Denis Savard also are also sidelined.

Boston 5, Calgary 2--Team psychologist Fred Neff was given some of the credit for the Bruins’ fast start at Boston.

He met with the team Friday and they came out firing against the faltering Flames. They took a 3-1 lead in 15 minutes and never let the Flames back in the game.

Rookie Ken Hodge scored twice for the Bruins, who lead Montreal by three points.

St. Louis 5, Detroit 4--Brett Hull scored two goals for the third consecutive game, but it was Geoff Courtnall’s goal at 2:12 of overtime that won for the Blues in St. Louis.

Hull has 52 goals in 50 games.

Chicago 5, Toronto 1--Doug Wilson became the second Blackhawk defenseman to score three goals when he led them to victory at Chicago.

Wilson, recently criticized by Coach Mike Keenan for his play, had his hat trick in the second period, the first goal coming when Chicago was short-handed. Dick Redmond was the only other Blackhawk defenseman to get a hat trick.

Minnesota 3, New Jersey 1--Bobby Smith and Brian Propp scored second-period goals at East Rutherford, N.J., to lead the North Stars to their third victory in their last five games.