Tanev's Overtime Goal Lifts Penguins Over Canadiens 3-2
MONTREAL (AP) — Brandon Tanev scored in overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins rallied to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 Saturday night.
Bryan Rust tied it with a goal in the third period and Zach Aston-Reese also scored for the Penguins. Matt Murray made 26 saves.
Artturi Lehkonen scored both goals for the Canadiens, who dropped their fifth straight. Max Domi extended his points streak to nine games with an assist, and Carey Price stopped 34 of 37 shots.
Tanev scored 1:49 into overtime when he cashed in Teddy Blueger's rebound past a sprawled-out Price. The Penguins improved to 4-0-1 in their past five games at Bell Centre.
Newly-acquired veteran Ilya Kovalchuk did not play for the Canadiens. The Russian signed a one-year, two-way contract with Montreal on Friday but hasn't dressed for a game yet.
The Canadiens jumped to a 1-0 lead at 8:42 of the first period through Lehkonen's eighth on an athletic play by Domi. The second-line center dangled the puck behind his back to evade Patric Hornqvist before feeding Lehkonen, who was unmarked to Murray's left.
Pittsburgh tied it 46 seconds later. A turnover in the neutral zone by Jesperi Kotkaniemi gave Blueger enough time to shovel a loose puck to Aston-Reese, who was alone in the slot and beat Price blocker side.
Lehkonen restored Montreal's one-goal advantage 3:37 into the second period on a heads-up play deep in Pittsburgh's end. The wing anticipated a pass from Kris Letang to Jack Johnson across the slot, intercepted the puck and rammed it past Murray for his 100th career point.
The Penguins came close to tying it early in the second, but Price made his best save of the encounter. The Canadiens goaltender went post-to-post to rob Rust with his glove on a cross-crease pass from Evgeni Malkin.
Price also denied Jared McCann on a breakaway in the first and Tanev on a 2-on-1 in the second.
Rust got his redemption at 5:24 of the third, tying it 2-2 after Johnson's shot off the end boards bounced right onto his stick. The goal came less than a minute after Montreal-born defenseman Marco Scandella, who was making his Canadiens debut after a trade from Buffalo, drilled a shot off the post.
Lehkonen, on a breakaway with eight minutes left in the third, nearly completed his hat trick but Murray stretched the left pad to make the save.
NOTES: Penguins minor league G Casey DeSmith missed a chance to join the NHL team because he lost his passport. Pittsburgh let G Tristan Jarry rest at home before the team hosts Florida on Sunday, and the Penguins wanted to promote DeSmith. The 28-year-old couldn't find the paperwork to travel internationally, and G Emil Larmi was called up from Wheeling of the ECHL instead. DeSmith has played 50 games for Pittsburgh over the past two seasons. Larmi was active for his first NHL game but did not play. ... Penguins F Alex Galchenyuk was kept off the score sheet in his fourth game against his former team.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host Florida on Sunday.
Canadiens: Host Winnipeg on Monday night.
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