Josh Anderson scored twice as Montréal edged Pittsburgh 5-4, reversing the teams’ earlier 6-5 meeting.
The Montréal Canadiens beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 at Centre Bell, turning around their earlier 6-5 loss to Pittsburgh this season. Josh Anderson led Montréal with two goals and an assist on two shots, finishing plus-3 with one hit. Chris Kreider added a goal and an assist, put five shots on net and was plus-4, while Lane Hutson had two assists, four blocked shots and a plus-4 rating. Sidney Crosby paced the Penguins with a goal and two assists for three points, and Tommy Novak and Rickard Rakell each contributed a goal and an assist. Erik Karlsson also had three points, scoring once on the power play and adding two assists; he finished with four shots and a plus-1 rating. Montréal’s 22 hits and 19 blocked shots helped it protect the one-goal edge, with Hutson accounting for four blocks; Pittsburgh had 13 hits and nine blocks. Penguins goalie Sergei Murashov made 22 saves on 27 shots for an .815 save percentage, while Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler stopped 24 of 28 for an .857 save percentage.
Key Performers
Josh Anderson, Montréal: 2 G, 1 A, 3 P, 2 shots, +3, 1 hit. Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh: 1 G, 2 A, 3 P, 4 shots, +1, 1 power-play goal. Lane Hutson, Montréal: 2 A, 2 P, 1 shot, +4, 4 blocked shots.
Standings Impact
Montréal improves to 9-3-2 and extends its winning streak to six; Pittsburgh falls to 5-7-2 and has lost three straight. The Canadiens move to 20 points, while the Penguins remain at 12.
DYMA Insight
The Canadiens entered ranked 12th in the DYMA Power Index, 11 places ahead of Pittsburgh, and their edge in physical play showed up in a 22-13 advantage in hits and a 19-9 lead in blocked shots. Anderson’s two-goal night supplied the finishing touch in a close game.