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Penguins Remain Sloppy; the Comeback, Story and Goal Breakdowns from Montreal
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- Penguins Remain Sloppy; the Comeback, Story and Goal Breakdowns from Montreal
PIttsburgh Penguins Game Lose 5-4 Montreal Canadiens
MONTREAL —The Pittsburgh Penguins (5-7-2) continue to treat their defensive zone like a swamp full of radioactive material. But rather than gaining superpowers, their Halloween transformation was into an ugly monster interested in chaos.
They got their wish. The Montreal Canadiens (9-2-3) scored goals in rapid succession on gift-wrapped plays twice. Penguins coach Dan Muse finally won a goaltender interference challenge, but it was not enough to overcome so many mistakes and a valiant late charge.
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The Penguins couldn't get the tying goal, and Montreal couldn't get the empty-netter, and Montreal won 5-4 at the Bell Centre Saturday.
The Penguins were scattered and inconsistent that Muse felt the need to call his timeout in the second period after the second of the quick-strike goal sequences to scold his team in demonstrative terms.
Penguins goalie Sergei Murashov made his first start since a 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 17, a span of four games. The 22-year-old rookie began the game with an .883 save percentage and a 0-3-1 record. He's now 0-4-1 this season, which is the longest winless streak of his professional career.
Murashov allowed a couple of soft goals, but made a few sparkling saves in the third period, including a Philip Danault breakaway and Chris Kreider in near the crease.
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The Penguins rarely had offensive pressure in the first two periods. Through the first 33 minutes of the game, they had just nine shots, but finished the second period with 14. By late in the third period, Montreal's 23-14 shot advantage was gone. The Penguins outshot Montreal 29-27. Murashov stopped 22 of 27. Jacob Fowler stopped 25 of 29.
Sidney Crosby had a late goal but also a pair of assists. Top-line wingers Rickard Rakell and Tommy Novak had a goal and an assist. Erik Karlsson also had a goal and an assist. No other Penguins had points.
Notes: Karlsson's three-point game put him in 10th place all-time for NHL defenseman scoring (951). He's two points ahead of Brent Burns (active) and six points behind Larry Robinson for ninth.
Note: The first draft filed at the horn did not include Karlsson's late third-period assist.
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Sidney Crosby's first-period assist put him ahead of Ray Bourque for most assists with one franchise (1112). Crosby added another assist in the period to extend his all-time lead.
Goal Breakdown
1-0: Erik Karlsson. A simple power play slapper from the point eluded traffic and goalie Jacob Fowler at 2:08 of the first period.
1-1: Oh boy, Murahov. Just 33 seconds after taking the lead, the Penguins fumbled the puck in the offensive zone and were scattered in their track back to the defensive zone. Oliver Kapanen (1) blasted a one-timer from the back of the left circle, which Murahov should have saved, but the rookie goalie didn't appear ready and stumbled in his lateral push, allowing Kapanen's shot to breeze past at 2:41.
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2-1: Just 24 seconds after Montreal's first goal and 57 seconds after the Penguins took the 1-0 lead, more bad puck management and cavalier defending spotted Montreal a 2-1 lead. Defenseman Sam Girard had nowhere to run from Montreal's forecheck, so he handed the puck off to Hendrix Lapierre, whose cross-ice breakout was easily intercepted by long-time Penguins killer Chris Krieder, who whipped the puck top-shelf over Murashov, who went down too early at 3:05.
2-2: A wild sequence indicative of the Penguins' effort. Murashov lost the net and almost allowed Cole Caufield an easy empty-net goal but made a quick save in the middle of the defensive zone and poked the puck ahead to Sidney Crosby, who led a three-on-two rush. Crosby to Rakell on the blue line, and Rakell slipped a pass to Tommy Novak, who got behind the defense for a little breakaway goal, a backhand deke to the fivehole at 7:28 of the first period.
**Penguins coach Dan Muse won a goaltender interference challenge. In the middle of the first period, Montreal defenseman Kaiden Guhle cut across the crease, lightly contacting Murashov just before the shot. Muse was finally successful. No goal. The game remained tied.
3-2: The first two quick goals, again. The Penguins chose not to cover Montreal winger Alexandre Texier. Both defenseman Declan Carlile and forward Egor Chinakhov converged on the puck carrier and left Texier wide open cutting to the net, and he easily beat Murashov at 1:54 of the second period.
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4-2: And 27 seconds later, longtime Penguins thorn Chris Kreider was also uncovered near the net. Carlile chased the puck to the top of the zone, and Lapierre didn't cover Kreider down low. Kreider (2) got two chances before lighting the lamp at 2:21 of the second.
4-3: But they're not dead yet. Muse called a timeout after the quick Montreal goals. The Penguins played a little better and were rewarded when Karlsson swiped a breakout pass and fed Rakell in the slot. Rakell beat Fowler with a nasty wrister at 3:45.
5-3: The Halloween horrors continued for the Penguins after Lane Hutson's shot deflected off Josh Anderson's chest in the slot. The shot was going just wide, but Penguins defenseman Kris Letang had boxed out his man, and the puck hit the back of his legs and caromed into the net. Anderson (6) got credit.
5-4: With the extra attacker, the Penguins' late third-period push continued. Crosby slammed a rebound home at 16:49.
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Penguins lines
Novak-Crosby-Rakell
Chinakhov-Kindel-Malkin
Kuzmenko-Lapierre-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
Stastney-Karlsson
Girard-Korczak
Carlile-Letang
Sergei Murashov
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