Eller scores twice, Malkin adds three points as Pens beat Canadiens

MONTREAL — Lars Eller had two goals against his former team as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Monday night at the Bell Centre.

Kris Letang, Kevin Hayes, Rickard Rakell and Evgeni Malkin — into an empty net — also scored for Pittsburgh (2-2). Malkin added two assists for the third straight game and Tristan Jarry stopped 24 shots.

Sidney Crosby was held off the scoresheet, keeping him one point shy of 1,600. The 37-year-old from Cole Harbour, N.S., is looking to become just the 10th player in NHL history to reach the mark.

Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky and Emil Heineman replied for Montreal (2-2). Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson pitched in with two assists each, while Sam Montembeault made 26 saves.

TAKEAWAYS

Penguins: Eller converted both goals — his first points of the season — with wicked wrist shots. The 35-year-old from Denmark played for the Canadiens from 2010 to 2016.

Canadiens: With Slafkovsky’s first of the season, the Canadiens scored a power-play goal for the fourth consecutive game to start the 2024-25 campaign. Rookie Lane Hutson didn’t produce a point, but fans cheered every time he touched the puck and the buzz only grew louder with every play, including a slick deke around Crosby late in the second period.

KEY MOMENT

Hayes put the Penguins ahead 4-3 with 12:13 remaining in the game. The 32-year-old winger was all alone in front before burying a rebound past Montembeault. Letang doubled the lead four minutes later.

KEY STAT

Fifteen minutes 30 seconds — that’s how long it took for the Canadiens to register their first shot on goal. Fans cheered sarcastically two minutes earlier when Jake Evans sent a dump-in toward the net, but the Canadiens weren’t credited with a shot.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Open a two-game homestand against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.

Canadiens: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday to wrap up a three-game stretch at home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2024.