We dedicate this edition of the Hidden Game to a couple of old Pittsburgh Penguins: captain Sidney Crosby and centre Evgeni Malkin.
Crosby, 37, didn’t get the elusive 1,600th point of his career in Monday night’s 6-3 victory against the Canadiens at the Bell Centre, but won’t have to wait long. Crosby can still skate and shoot, narrowly missing a number of scoring opportunities. And head coach Mike Sullivan isn’t reluctant to rely on Crosby, who received 22 shifts and 19:33 of ice time.
In short, he’s worth every penny of the two-year, US$8.7-million contract extension he signed last month, taking him through the 2027 season. Bell Centre spectators have a long-standing history of braying upon many visiting players — but not Crosby. That’s the ultimate display of respect.
As for Malkin, the Penguins’ oldest player at 38, he too will have to wait to reach a milestone. Malkin scored his first of the season, into an empty net, giving him 499 career goals. He’s about to become the 48th NHL player to hit 500. He did, however, become the 34th player — and first from Russia — to reach 800 assists last Thursday at Detroit.
He had a three-point night against the Canadiens, giving him one goal and seven points already this season.
We’re noticing a trend here: Pittsburgh has four consecutive victories against Montreal. The Penguins are 8-2-2 in their last 12 against the Canadiens, scoring three or more goals in all but one of those contests.
All good things must come to an end: Canadiens’ goalie Samuel Montembeault had been a brick wall until Monday night, stopping all but one of 73 shots for a 0.50 average and .986 save percentage. But after surrendering five Pittsburgh goals on 30 shots, his save percentage on this night was .833.
Biggest cheer for doing absolutely nothing: In the game’s opening minute for Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson, behind his own net, simply in anticipation.
We’ve seen this movie before: The Canadiens didn’t register their first shot until the 14th minute, by which time Pittsburgh had eight.
Bronx cheer: Believing Jake Evans was credited with that elusive opening shot two minutes earlier, the fans made the home team aware of their displeasure.
News you need (Part I): When former Canadien Lars Eller opened the scoring at 6:54 of the first period, it marked the first time this season in four games Montreal surrendered the opening goal.
News you need (Part II): Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry allowed six New York Rangers goals in the season opener. But he likes playing Montreal. In nine previous games Jarry was 6-1-1 with one shutout and a .913 save percentage.
We like physical hockey: In the 15th minute, Josh Anderson hit Ryan Graves. Moments later, Justin Barron crunched Eller. Both plays got the expected rise from the supporters.
Wrong place, wrong time: Yes, that was Hutson and David Savard both behind the Canadiens’ net on Pittsburgh’s second goal, scored by Rickard Rakell. Both players were minus-2 in the period. Not surprisingly, both were playing with different partners in the second; Hutson was paired with Kaiden Guhle while Savard found himself with Arber Xhekaj.
Momentum, schmomentum: Some 87 seconds following Rakell’s goal, Guhle scored.
Pass of the night: Nick Suzuki to Juraj Slafkovsky on the second Canadiens’ goal, scored on the power play.
That must have been some dressing-room speech: Through 12 minutes of the second period, the Canadiens held an 8-1 shots advantage.
Give him a mulligan: We’re the first to point out dumb penalties. But when Jesse Puljujarvi boarded Emil Heineman in the second period, good on Guhle for retaliating and coming to his teammate’s defence — although it cost him a roughing minor.
Shift of the night: In the 15th minute of the period, Heineman finished his check, emerged with the puck and scored off a two-on-one break with Oliver Kapanen. That’s two goals in two games for Heineman. We’re guessing he’s finished playing in the AHL.
Shot of the night: Eller tied the score at 16:23 of the middle period with a high shot to the glove side from the left-wing circle. Montembeault didn’t move — and who could blame him; the puck was in and out of the net that quickly.
How is that not a penalty: In the eighth minute of the third period, Graves dumped Anderson behind the Penguins’ net. From our vantage point this appeared to be a no-brainer.
Rookie mistake: Hutson, for all his good, was caught up ice on the visitors’ fifth goal, by Kris Letang, providing some much-needed insurance.
Quick stats: Hutson was the clubhouse leader at minus-4, but Savard and Suzuki are only one stroke back, both at minus-3. Both Brendan Gallagher and Cole Caufield had four shots at Jarry. Bryan Rust, the right-winger on Crosby’s line, led all players, with six shots.
They said it: “We made more mistakes than them today,” Slafkovsky said. “That’s all it is. I don’t know. I feel like we played pretty good and played hard.”
“We can’t rely on (Montembeault) every night,” Alex Newhook said. “Defensively we gave up too many breaks, leaving guys alone in front of the net. That doesn’t help him out. He deserved better from us tonight.”
“I don’t like to take credit away from the other team,” Gallagher said. “They came at us hard, they were aggressive and in our face. We didn’t have a lot of time to make plays. At the same time, I think we weren’t sharp. I just thought we were a little sloppy.”