MONTREAL — In an exciting matchup, Lars Eller found the net twice against his old team, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins secure a 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday evening.
Evgeni Malkin contributed significantly to the win with one goal and two assists, while Kris Letang, Kevin Hayes, and Rickard Rakell also joined the score sheet for Pittsburgh. Goaltender Tristan Jarry was solid between the pipes, making 24 saves to bolster the team’s performance.
Notably, Sidney Crosby was kept off the scoreboard, leaving him just one point away from reaching the impressive milestone of 1,600 points—an achievement only attained by nine other players in NHL history. The veteran forward, 37, continues his pursuit of this remarkable career highlight.
On the Canadiens’ side, Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Emil Heineman found the back of the net, with Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson each recording two assists. Sam Montembeault, the Canadiens’ goaltender, faced 32 shots in the game, stopping 26 of them.
In terms of highlights, Eller scored his first two points of the season with precision wrist shots, showcasing his skills on the ice. The 35-year-old, originally from Denmark, had played for the Canadiens from 2010 to 2016. Slafkovsky’s goal marked his first of the season, contributing to the Canadiens’ impressive streak of power-play goals, which now stands at four consecutive games. Fans were particularly enthusiastic about rookie Lane Hutson during the match, cheering enthusiastically as he made plays, including a notable deke around Crosby.
A crucial moment occurred when Hayes scored to put the Penguins ahead 4-3 with just over 12 minutes left in the game, capitalizing on a rebound in front of the net. Letang then extended the lead a few minutes later, cementing Pittsburgh’s advantage.
An interesting statistic from the game indicates that it took the Canadiens a staggering 15 minutes and 30 seconds to log their first shot on goal, leading to some sarcastic cheers from the home crowd when a weak attempt came prior but was not officially counted.
Looking ahead, the Penguins are set to face off against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday as they kick off a two-game homestand, while the Canadiens will host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday to conclude their three-game stretch at home.
