Evgeni Malkin to the Rescue; Penguins Comeback Win Over Montreal

MONTREAL — The Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2-0) Jekyll and Hyde nature filled the 60 minutes against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. On Canadian Thanksgiving, the Penguins raced to a 2-0 lead before trailing 3-2, then swarming Montreal for a 6-3 win.

Evgeni Malkin had three points, including goal No. 499, which was an empty-netter to seal the win. He also set up the Penguins’ fifth goal on a beautiful feed to Kris Letang (1) for an easy goal at 11:32 of the third period.

However, Kevin Hayes (1)  scored the game-winner at 7:47 of the third by burying a rebound. It was a wild win with a lost lead, a comeback, some sparkling plays, some exasperating turnovers, and more exasperating mistakes, but eventually, a satisfying win.

In addition to Malkin, Penguins center Lars Eller was on top of his game.

The Penguins again owned the first period, but unlike when they did so against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, the Penguins got ample shots and scoring opportunities Monday.

The Penguins did not allow a shot on goalie Tristan Jarry until 13:31 of the first period.

At 6:54 of the first period, the Penguins needed just two passes to go the length of the ice. After the third-line forwards won a wall battle, Jesse Puljujarvi bolted from the defensive zone. Defenseman Marcus Pettersson’s pass caught Puljujarvi in stride into the offensive zone, where he neatly set up an oncoming Eller (1) for a rocket one-timer past Canadiens netminder Sam Montembeault.

Later in the first period, Evgeni Malkin showed a surprising burst of speed to grab a loose puck in the offensive zone. Skating backward behind the net, Malkin snapped a pass in front of the net to Rickard Rakell (2), who slammed the shot into the net at 16:29.

However, the Penguins did not leave the period unscathed. Jarry lost sight of the puck and could only lunge to the post as Kaiden Guhle (1) slapped a one-timer from the top of the right circle at 18:16.

The Penguins outshot Montreal 11-6 in the first period.

However, just like Saturday, the Penguins opponent dominated the second period. Montreal outshot the Penguins 13-7 in the second and scored twice. If not for a ridiculous end-to-end rush and whistling wrister by Eller (2) at 16:23, the Penguins’ goose on Canadian Thanksgiving looked to be cooked.

Eller, who began his career with Montreal from 2010-2016, was perhaps the best Penguins player on the ice Monday.

However, the Penguins fell apart in the second. While shorthanded, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang went for the hit but didn’t recover his position, leaving 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky alone near the net for an easy tap-in at 2:51 of the period.

Later in the second period, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson stayed deep in the offense zone, not recognizing a loose puck but instead hoping for a pass that never came. Karlsson did not transition back on defense, and Montreal fourth-liner Emil Heineman converted a two-on-one with a top-corner wrist shot at 14:26.

Jarry stopped 24 of 27 shots, including some difficult saves, to preserve the lead in the third period. Momtembeault stopped 26 of 31.

Penguins Notes

Sidney Crosby remained one point shy of 1600. It was not a good night for the Penguins superstar, who was credited with a game-high four giveaways in the first two periods.

Monday was Lars Eller’s first multi-goal game of 2024. He had one two-goal game last season, on Dec. 31, vs. the New York Islanders.

Eller has eight goals in his last 15 games against Montreal.

The Penguins were 23-10 on the face-off dot Monday. Crosby won 11 of 14 in the first 40 minutes. The final tally was 31-17 Penguins.