Bester Stops 45 Shots in Leading Toronto Over St. Louis, 6-3

Goaltender Alan Bester made a triumphant return from the minors to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues Monday night.

Tom Kurvers, Lou Franceschetti, Mark Osborne, Al Iafrate, John Kordic and Wendel Clark scored for Toronto, which won for the fifth time in its last six games to move into a tie for third in the Norris Division with the Blues.

Bester, making his first start for the Maple Leafs since being recalled from Newmarket after a self-imposed two-week conditioning stint, stopped 45 shots.

The Maple Leafs took 25 shots on St. Louis goalie Pat Jablonski.

Clark opened the scoring on a rebound of a Daniel Marois shot for his 11th of the season at 18:46.

The Maple Leafs blew the game open with four goals in the second period.