The Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens are each within the backside portion of the Japanese Convention standings however seem like headed in reverse instructions forward of a matchup in Montreal on Thursday.
The Penguins have misplaced two of their previous three video games whereas the Canadiens have gained three of their final 4.
Pittsburgh’s most up-to-date sport was a 6-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at residence on Tuesday evening.
“I did not suppose we have been as stiff on the puck,” Penguins’ coach Mike Sullivan stated. “I assumed we hung onto pucks extra within the offensive zone. I assumed we might’ve managed territory just a little bit extra and compelled them to need to defend us just a little bit extra.”
Pittsburgh fell behind early and located itself down 3-0 early within the second interval earlier than pulling to inside one by the tip of the interval. Colorado then scored three within the third interval.
Penguins followers even resorted to booing the staff throughout an influence play within the second interval.
“I believe there’s been some instances this season once we deserved it,” Pittsburgh famous person heart and captain Sidney Crosby stated of the unfavorable crowd response. “I do not suppose tonight was one in every of them.”
After averaging greater than a degree per sport in his first 19 seasons, Crosby — now 37 — has not reached that degree to date this season with eight targets and 19 assists for 27 factors in 30 video games.
Crosby’s final purpose, which got here on Nov. 23, was the milestone 600th of his profession.
Regardless of going with out a purpose previously seven video games, Crosby nonetheless leads the staff in factors. Fellow veteran heart Evgeni Malkin, 38, is Pittsburgh’s second-leading scorer with 25 factors (six targets, 19 assists). Early within the season, he reached 500 profession targets, a feat solely 47 different gamers within the historical past of the NHL have achieved.
The Canadiens, in the meantime, are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the Anaheim Geese at residence on Monday.
Patrik Laine had a purpose and an help for Montreal within the win. Laine, who additionally scored within the shootout, has three power-play targets in 4 video games since returning on Dec. 3 from a knee harm suffered throughout the preseason.
“His (Laine’s) shot is so arduous to cease for a goalie,” stated Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault, who made 27 saves. “So, on their facet, they have to respect that.”
Kirby Dach’s purpose 4:36 into the third interval tied the sport at 2 — simply 11 seconds after the Geese’ Troy Terry’s purpose made it 2-1 — and despatched it into extra time. It was Dach’s first purpose since Oct. 26, snapping a 19-game dry spell.
Geese goalie Lukas Dostal mishandled a puck behind the online, so it was vast open for Dach in entrance.
“It is type of the one manner one was going to go in, I assume, was to have the entire open web in entrance of me,” Dach stated. “So it was good. ‘Slaf’ (Juraj Slafkovsky) made a great play and it is positively encouraging.”
Heart and captain Nick Suzuki is Montreal’s main scorer with 29 factors (10 targets, 19 assists) in 28 video games. Proper wing Cole Caufield is the Canadiens’ purpose chief with 17 and is second with 25 factors in 28 video games.
–Subject Degree Media