Dach pots OT winner to help Canadiens complete comeback win over Penguins
Newly-acquired Montreal forward scores 1st goal with new team
The Montreal Canadiens will have a lot of growing pains this season retooling with a young squad.
However, the Habs found a way Monday night to please their fans by maintaining an undefeated home record through their first two NHL games.
Martin St. Louis' side rallied in the third period to force overtime and then snatched a 3-2 win from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre.
Evgeni Malkin of Pittsburgh had a two-goal night, while Bryan Rust collected two assists. Suzuki and Cole Caufield levelled the score and forced overtime. Kirby Dach scored the game-winning goal at 3:09 on the power play.
Jeff Petry played his first game back at the Bell Centre. The defenceman took three penalties, including one in overtime that cost Pittsburgh the game.
WATCH | Dach's 1st as a Hab helps Montreal secure OT win over Pittsburgh:
"Obviously you don't want to take one in overtime," said Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. "We've got to be more disciplined in those circumstances."
Casey DeSmith made 36 saves and allowed three goals. Samuel Montembeault allowed two goals and made 26 saves for Montreal.
The Penguins were millimetres away from taking an early lead. Danton Heinen grabbed a loose puck in the left faceoff circle and shocked Montembeault with a wrist shot but a video review showed the puck hit both posts without crossing the goal line.
After a scoreless first period, the visitors finally found net. Marcus Pettersson found Malkin with a cross-ice pass and the Russian netted his second goal of the season on the one-timer.
Malkin recorded his second goal of the game four minutes later. The centre hopped on Montembeault's rebound in the slot to give Pittsburgh a two-goal advantage.
The Canadiens cut their deficit to one early in the third period. Suzuki broke into the offensive zone and hit the post with a wrist shot but the captain rounded the net to grab his own rebound and tapped in Montreal's first goal of the game.
With 2:26 remaining, Montreal called a timeout and pulled Montembeault. Coach St. Louis chose wisely as Jonathan Drouin found Caufield with a cross-ice pass and the sniper levelled the score with a one-timer.
St. Louis gave credit to assistant coach Alex Burrows for drafting the play that led to the equalizer.
"Alex takes care of that. We have a few things that we think about going to six-on-five," St. Louis said. "2:23, is it early? I don't know but I feel like, a faceoff in the offensive zone, you might never get another one of those. So, call the time and get organized. And the guys delivered."
Petry took his third penalty of the game in overtime and it proved costly for the Pens. Sean Monahan found Dach and the centre scored his first goal as a Hab to ice the game.
