Super Mario back to boost Penguins

Mario Lemieux made a remarkable return from retirement on a night Pittsburgh Penguins fans will never forget.

Lemieux, 35, the first ownerplayer in NHL history, scored a goal and assisted on two others as the Penguins beat Toronto Maple Leafs 5-0.

He took just 33 seconds to make his mark, setting up Jaromir Jagr on his first shift in an NHL game since April 1997. Lemieux said: "It's what I had in mind - that my first game would be successful and I'd be effective."

His goal came at 10:33 of the second period after good play from Jagr down the right.

And less than four minutes later Lemieux made a perfect pass to set up Jan Hrdina.

Lemieux's comeback, watched by an over-capacity crowd of 17,148, drove the Penguins, who had lost their previous five home games.

Lemieux spent much of his retirement buying the Penguins.

Touts were charging $750 a seat - an unprecedented sum for an otherwise routine mid-season game.

Goals from Claude Jutras, Randy Perry and Neal Martin saw London Knights beat Newcastle Jesters 3-0 to go second in the Superleague.