PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh fans came to see Sidney Crosby’s first career goal, and they got it. The added bonus: Mario Lemieux’s first two-goal game in 2 seasons. The downside: somehow, the Penguins lost.

Glen Murray’s second goal, a one-timer just as a Pittsburgh penalty was expiring 1:23 into overtime, rallied the Boston Bruins from a two-goal deficit and a 7-6 victory Saturday night that spoiled Crosby’s first career goal and Lemieux’s first two-goal game since February 2003.

The Bruins, putting 41 shots on a harried Sebastien Caron in an unexpected start for the backup goalie, won for the first time in three games and dropped the much-improved Penguins – the NHL’s worst team in 2003-04 – to 0-3.

Murray had two goals and two assists as the Bruins won despite trailing 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-2, 5-4 and 6-4. The winner on a hard shot from the left circle came just as defenseman Dick Tarnstrom was coming out of the box after being called for tripping late in the third period.

Crosby, already living up to all expectations at age 18 only three games into his career, had his first multipoint game by adding two assists, giving him five points in three games, and the Penguins – with Lemieux playing again like he was 18 instead of 40 – built a two-goal lead they couldn’t hold.

Commissioner Gary Bettman and an overflow crowd of 17,132 were in attendance for Crosby’s first home game, the NHL’s most-awaited prospect in a generation didn’t disappoint. Often the best player on the ice for long stretches, he made two excellent plays to set up goals by Ric Jackman and Brooks Orpik, then got the goal he will remember the rest of his career.

With Pittsburgh up 5-4 and on a power play late in the second, Crosby threw he puck on net, then raced in to gather the rebound after failed follow-up attempts by Mark Recchi and Ziggy Palffy and shot into the side of the net before goalie Hannu Toivonen could react.

Then, acting just like the 18-year-old he is, Crosby let out a “Yeah!” before skating behind the net and slamming backward into the glass.

Hey, can’t a hockey player be a kid for just a moment – especially when he is a kid?

The Penguins rode the momentum created by the equally big nights by Crosby and Lemieux until halftime through the third, only to have the Bruins’ Murray and Brad Boyes score 1 minute, 17 seconds apart to tie it.

Caron, facing 41 shots, was in goal for the Penguins’ 3-2 shootout loss at Carolina on Friday, then unexpectedly started again when Jocelyn Thibault injured his left knee during the morning skate Saturday.

Lemieux’s first goal in nearly two years, or since Oct. 11, 2003, against the Flyers – his only goal in a 2003-04 season ended after 10 games by a hip injury – also came on a power play. John LeClair’s shot from the right point deflected to Lemieux, who beat Hannu Toivonen with a hard wrist shot to make it 2-1 Penguins.

Lemieux also scored unassisted to put Pittsburgh ahead again 5-4 by putting in his own rebound, giving him his first two-goal game since Feb. 25, 2003, against the Los Angeles Kings. Before that Crosby had set up successive goals by defensemen Jackman and Orpik, with the Orpik goal coming after Crosby hit him in stride with a pass just in front of the net.

The high-scoring game came after the two teams each lost their first two games of the season, with Boston getting only two goals and the Penguins three.

Sergei Samsonov had a goal and two assists for Boston in just the kind of up-and-down, offense-filled game the NHL anticipated when it redesigned the game following the 2004-05 shutdown. Mark Recchi had three assists in his first Penguins home game since the 1991-92 season.

AP-ES-10-08-05 2227EDT

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