Kirby Dach scores in OT as Canadiens beat Penguins 3-2
Oct 17, 2022, 7:23 AM | Updated: 8:30 pm
Montreal Canadiens' Kirby Dach celebrates after scoring the wining goal in overtime to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in NHL hockey game action in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP
MONTREAL (AP) — Kirby Dach scored 3:09 into overtime, lifting the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.
Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist for Montreal, which trailed 2-0 after two periods. Cole Caufield also scored, and Kaiden Guhle had two assists.
The Canadiens (2-2-0) also won their home opener, beating Toronto 4-3 on Wednesday night.
“It’s huge for us,” Suzuki said. “We want to be good on home ice. In the last couple of years, we haven’t really done that. It’s important to win at home and we want to put on a good show for our fans, so to win games, and to win games like that, it’s pretty fun.”
After Jeff Petry was sent off in overtime for cross-checking for his third penalty of the game, Dach got a pass from Sean Monahan and beat Casey DeSmith for the power-play goal.
It was Dach’s first goal since he was acquired in a July trade with Chicago.
Evgeni Malkin had two goals for Pittsburgh, and Bryan Rust had two assists. DeSmith made 36 saves.
“It’s real disappointing,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “We didn’t like the first period at all. I thought the second period we started to play. I thought we were probably the better team in the second period, but that’s the only period. It’s hard to win in this league when we only play one period.”
Crosby was held off the scoresheet. The center had a goal and two assists in each of the Penguins’ first two games — both victories.
Samuel Montembeault stopped 26 shots for Montreal.
The Penguins nearly jumped out to an early lead. Danton Heinen grabbed a loose puck in the left faceoff circle and surprised Montembeault with a wrist shot, but a video review showed the puck hit both goalposts without crossing the goal line.
After a scoreless first period, Malkin got his second goal of the season 3:52 into the second. He converted a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Marcus Pettersson.
Malkin recorded his second goal of the game four minutes later. The center hopped on Montembeault’s rebound in the slot to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead.
The Canadiens cut the deficit to one early in the third. Suzuki broke into the offensive zone and hit the post with a wrist shot, but the captain rounded the net to grab his own rebound and tapped it in.
With 2:26 remaining, the Canadiens called a timeout and pulled Montembeault. Jonathan Drouin then found Caufield with a cross-ice pass, and Caufield tied it at 2.
PETRY RETURNS
Petry played his first game at the Bell Centre in a Penguins uniform. The 34-year-old defenseman was booed on his first touch of the puck.
During a commercial break in the first period, the Canadiens showed a video honoring Petry’s eight seasons in Montreal. He received a nice ovation, only to be booed seconds later on his next shift.
ALLEN ON LEAVE
Goaltender Jake Allen missed the game because he was on parental leave with his wife due to give birth. Montembeault was told he would be in for Allen the morning of the game.
“It wasn’t too bad,” Montembeault said about preparing for the game. “It wasn’t until this morning when I showed up to the rink and I saw that his gear wasn’t there, so I kind of knew at that moment that I was going to be in.”
UP NEXT
Penguins: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.
Canadiens: Host the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.
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