Penguins pepper Price, Habs
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 | 11:23 PM ET
By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored the game's opening goal and added an assist in a 3-1 home win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night.
Bill Guerin and Sergei Gonchar added goals between Carey Price's pads in a big second period for Pittsburgh, which held a 30-19 shot advantage.
"Offensively, they're as talented as any group in the league," Montreal defenceman Paul Mara said. "And we were playing defence pretty much all night."
Max Pacioretty ended goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's bid for a shutout just over seven minutes into the third.
The Penguins (17-8) won for the third consecutive time.
Evgeni Malkin, who finished with an assist, tested Price early but shot right into his breadbasket.
Pittsburgh's energy line then kept Montreal pinned deep, with Eric Godard missing the first of two strong chances in the period.
Glen Metropolit had the best early shot for the Canadiens, with Crosby giving an indication of what was to come by driving to the net against Price, who held firm.
Bad line change
Crosby took advantage of a sloppy Montreal line change not long after, snapping a shot off a Montreal skate and over Price's shoulder. Maxime Talbot set up the goal for his first point of the season in four games after a shoulder injury.
Pittsburgh controlled the puck in Montreal's end for most of a mid-second period power play, but Price foiled Malkin at the side of the net.
The Penguins were finally rewarded with an ugly goal. Guerin lost control of the puck at the side of the net, but it skidded between Price's pads just under seven minutes into the frame.
"When we're not stubborn, [and just] playing our game and getting the puck in and we're not trying to dazzle everybody … it's effective for us," Guerin said.
Veteran defenceman Martin Skoula assisted, giving him three goals and two assists in the last six games. Skoula, taking advantage of ice time due to a number of Pittsburgh injuries, couldn't land a job in training camp in either Florida or Columbus.
Montreal forward Mike Cammalleri beat Fleury in the second, but his shot went off the crossbar.
It was a critical miss since Crosby would soon work some magic, wheeling down the left side and spinning with a backhand pass to a wide-open Gonchar in the slot. The Pittsburgh defenceman skated in alone to beat Price between the pads.
"I saw Gonch coming late and I didn't really have an angle to pass it on the forehand, so I just tried to spin there and give myself a better angle," Crosby said. "It wasn't a great pass, it was in his feet, but he kicked it up to his stick and made a great move."
Price prevented further damage later in the period with a skate save on Guerin.
Pacioretty would give Montreal faint hope by taking advantage of some neutral zone sloppiness on Pittsburgh's part.
Sergei Kostitsyn assisted, as did Metropolit. Kostitsyn has two assists in two games since being called up from the minors.
Possession makes difference
It was a rare mistake for the Penguins, the forward from Belarus said.
"They moved the puck a lot, possessed the puck a lot — especially those guys Malkin and Crosby," said Kostitsyn.
Pacioretty might not remember his third goal of the season as he was left groggy later in the period after a hit by Pittsburgh forward Michael Rupp. The hit appeared at least a full second after Pacioretty gave up the puck.
The Penguins would look impressive on a power play after Roman Hamrlik took a tripping penalty, moving the puck around with ease.
They couldn't score, however, and it was the Canadiens who had the best scoring chance. Defenceman Ryan O'Byrne's shot was headed for the top corner, but Fleury made a show-stopping glove save to help prevent a Montreal comeback.
Crosby, meanwhile, now has 11 goals and 13 assists in 16 games against the team that once drafted his father. Troy Crosby, a goalie, was selected in the final round of the 1984 draft by Montreal.
It was the last regular-season game for a Canadiens squad at Mellon Arena, which will give way to a new facility across the street next season.
Montreal (12-12-1) returns to Bell Centre for a home game Saturday against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 7 p.m. ET).
With files from The Associated Press
