Saturday night saw the Pittsburgh Penguins claim a 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens, with Sidney Crosby delivering an exceptional performance scoring two goals. Blake Lizotte sealed the deal for Pittsburgh, scoring an empty-net goal in the game’s final minute.
Letang’s Milestone Game
Adding to the excitement of the night, Kris Letang was playing in his 1,100th regular-season game. Letang, a native of Montreal, ended the match with an assist, contributing to his team’s win. The Penguins’ goaltender, Alex Nedeljkovic, displayed a strong performance, stopping 25 shots during the game.
Montreal’s Efforts
Christian Dvorak managed to score for the Canadiens while Sam Montembeault blocked 21 attempts by the Penguins. Despite their efforts, Montreal couldn’t prevent a third consecutive loss. Their defense, which allowed at least six goals in their previous two games, continued to struggle.
Crosby’s Scoring Spree
Crosby put the Penguins on the scoreboard with 4:03 remaining in the first period. He then extended the lead by scoring a power play goal with 1:20 left in the second. This performance has tied him with Sergei Fedorov and Joe Nieuwendyk for 14th place on the NHL’s all-time game-winning goals list.
Crosby’s recent performance has been impressive, with four goals and seven points in his last three games. This marks the seventh occasion that Crosby has scored multiple goals in consecutive games. He repeated this feat after scoring twice against Anaheim on Thursday. With a total of five goals this season, Crosby is just three goals away from reaching a career total of 600.
Decisive Moment
The game’s key moment came when Letang managed to elude Nick Suzuki at the left point. He then flipped a backhand pass to Crosby, who sent a wrist shot past Montembeault’s glove side, scoring Pittsburgh’s second goal. This goal saw Crosby and Letang surpass Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, becoming the third-most successful forward-defenseman duo in NHL history regarding goals.
Key Statistics
Letang’s participation in this game marks a significant milestone. He is the first Penguins defenseman to have played in 1,100 regular-season games, making him the sixth active defenseman and 73rd in NHL history to achieve this feat.
What’s Next?
The Canadiens look forward to hosting Calgary on Tuesday, hoping to end their losing streak. Meanwhile, the Penguins are set to visit the New York Islanders, opening a three-game trip.
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