Penguins surrender 2-goal lead in overtime loss to Canadiens

Mike Sullivan crossed paths with Martin St. Louis fairly early in his coaching career.

During the 2007-08 season, Sullivan joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach under head coach John Tortorella. St. Louis was one of the stars of that franchise and established an enduring relationship with Sullivan.

Today, they are peers as Sullivan is the Penguins’ head coach while St. Louis has the same position with the Montreal Canadiens.

“I just have so much respect for him,” Sullivan said to media in Montreal on Monday. “He was a great player, first and foremost. But he’s a real good person and he’s always been a student of the game. I always loved that about him when I was coaching Martin, just how invested he was in trying to get better, not just him but our whole team. I think he has all the attributes to be a really good coach because he was such a student of the game when he played. I’m always rooting for him.

“Not tonight, but most other nights, I’m rooting for him.”

Sullivan and the Penguins didn’t offer much to root for Monday as they were defeated by St. Louis and the Canadiens in a come-from-ahead 3-2 overtime loss at the Bell Centre. The Penguins fell despite a two-goal lead entering the third period and suffered their first defeat of the 2021-22 campaign, dropping them to 2-0-1.

Canadiens forward Kirby Dach’s overtime goal — his first of the season on a power-play opportunity — at 3 minutes, 9 seconds of the extra period was the difference.

The Penguins appeared to take an early lead only 1:52 into regulation thanks to a would-be goal by forward Danton Heinen but a video review deemed his wrister from the Canadiens’ left circle merely rang off a goal post and did not enter the cage.

Forward Evgeni Malkin did provide the Penguins with a 1-0 advantage 3:52 into the second period with his second goal of the season. After Penguins forward Jason Zucker forced Canadiens forward Christian Dvorak into a turnover in Montreal’s slot, Penguins forward Bryan Rust claimed possession in the right circle. From there, Rust shoved a backhand pass to the left point for Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson. Moving slightly toward the left circle, Pettersson slipped a cross-ice pass to the right circle for Malkin who ignited a one-timer that beat goaltender Sam Montembeault’s blocker on the far side then clunked off the far post before caroming into the cage. Pettersson and Rust claimed assists.

Malkin scored again off a rebound 4:03 later. After Malkin beat Canadiens forward Nick Suzuki on a faceoff in Montreal’s left circle, Penguins rookie defenseman P.O Joseph settled the puck at the left point. Surveying the offensive zone for a moment, Joseph then slid the puck to Rust, positioned low in the left circle. Fending off pressure from Canadiens rookie defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic, Rust flicked a backhander into the crease that Montembeault fought off with his stick. The rebound found its way into the slot where Malkin swooped in and jabbed a forehand shot past Montembeault’s left leg. Rust and Joseph claimed assists.

Suzuki put his team on the scoreboard 1:10 into the third period with his second goal. Breaking the puck out of his own zone, Canadiens rookie defenseman Kaiden Guhle chucked a backhand pass to the left wing for Suzuki who gained the offensive zone with all the momentum of a comet. With Penguins defenseman Kris Letang providing some pressure, Suzuki fired a wrister that squeaked through the equipment of goaltender Casey DeSmith then hit off the right post before trickling loose in the blue paint. Suzuki circumnavigated his way around the cage and backhand tapped the puck into the net. Assists went to Guhle — his first career point — and forward Mike Hoffman.

Things were tied late in regulation at 17:40 of the third period. With Montembeault pulled for an extra attacker, Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin — a long-time nemesis to the Penguins — set up shop on the right half wall of the offensive zone then sneaked a seam pass to below the left circle where Canadiens forward Cole Caufield swiped a one-timer past DeSmith’s blocker on the near side for his third goal. Drouin and Guhle had assists.

In overtime, Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry — who was booed throughout the night during his first game in Montreal after being traded, by his request, this past offseason — recorded his third penalty of the contest when he cross checked Canadiens defenseman Jordan Harris at the 1:46 mark. That set up a four-on-three power-play opportunity for the Canadiens to claim victory.

Taking a pass below the right circle of the offensive zone, Canadiens forward Sean Monahan coasted through the circle, through the high slot and to the left dot. From there, he snapped a backdoor pass to the right of the crease where Dach tapped in his first goal as a member of the Canadiens with his forehand. Monahan and Suzuki netted assists.

DeSmith, in his first start of the season, made 36 saves on 39 shots.

Notes:

• The Penguins’ scratches were forward Teddy Blueger (undisclosed injury) and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. Blueger, hobbled since suffering being injured during a training camp practice on Sept. 28, did not travel to Montreal.

• Monday’s game marked the second consecutive contest that the Penguins faced a backup goaltender.

Montembeault played in place of starter Jake Allen who was attending to his wife as she was expected to give birth to a child. On Saturday, the Penguins defeated Brian Elliott and the Tampa Bay Lightning, 6-2.

• The Penguins went over 15 years between regular season overtime losses to the Canadiens. On Feb. 4, 2007, they fell, 4-3, thanks to an overtime score by defenseman Sheldon Souray.

That game was so long ago, it was broadcast in standard definition.

• The Penguins’ last overtime loss to the Canadiens of any type was a 3-2 setback in Game 1 of a preliminary round playoff series — in the so-called “bubble” of Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena during the pandemic — on Aug. 1, 2020. Petry was involved in that defeat also as he scored the winning goal.

• Former Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson, who was traded to the Canadiens in July as part of the return for Petry, did not play and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks due to an abdominal injury.

Follow the Penguins all season long.