Novak scores in OT, Penguins recover to defeat Canadiens

PITTSBURGH -- Tommy Novak scored his second goal of the game 1:33 into overtime to help the Pittsburgh Penguins recover from blowing a four-goal lead and win 6-5 against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday.

Novak, who also had an assist, won it on a wrist shot from the right circle off a pass from Evgeni Malkin on a 2-on-1. 

"Anytime you kind of give up a lead like that, it feels good to come through with the two points," Novak said. "That's huge."

Malkin had a goal and two assists, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang each had two assists, and Arturs Silovs made 20 saves for the Penguins, who opened their season with a 7-0 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

Nick Suzuki had a goal and three assists, Cole Caufield scored twice, Ivan Demidov and Chris Kreider each had a goal and an assist, and Lane Hutson had three assists for the Canadiens, who won their season opener 3-2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Jakub Dobes made 24 saves. 

"Once the brain goes, it's hard to prevent stuff," Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. "That's why you want to play a much simpler game. ... We got a little stubborn with that because we know what we can do in possession." 

Suzuki set up two goals in 24 seconds with Dobes pulled for the extra attacker to tie it late in the third period. He first sent a pass from behind the net to Kreider for a one-timer in the slot, cutting it to 5-4 with 1:08 left, then set up Demidov at the right post with a pass through the crease to tie it 5-5 with 44 seconds remaining. 

"We're a skilled enough team to score in those situations and get a point," Suzuki said. "We have to clean some stuff up, obviously."

Caufield put Montreal ahead 1-0 on its second shot on goal of the game at 3:49 of the first period, skating into the right face-off circle for a wrist shot past Silovs' blocker. 

Malkin tied it 1-1 on a power play at 14:07 of the first period with a backhand shot off a rebound from Letang to score for the second time in the first two games of his 21st NHL season.

Declan Carlile gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead 32 seconds into the second period on a wrist shot from the right circle, and then Samuel Girard made it 3-1 at 7:59 with a wrist shot at the top of the crease off a backhand pass from Sidney Crosby. 

Novak sent a wrist shot over Dobes after taking a pass from Egor Chinakhov on a 2-on-1, extending the lead to 4-1 at 14:01. 

"We were playing pond hockey at times, turning the puck over," Kreider said. "Any team is going to jump on those turnovers, especially that team. So, a lot of self-inflicted (problems)."

Ben Kindel then pushed it to 5-1 by deflecting a point shot from Karlsson on a power play at 15:32. 

"Some good, some bad," said Kindel, who returned from missing the season opener with a lower-body injury. "Obviously, the first game coming back here, I felt like it kind of took a little bit to get going. But started making some plays, but still some stuff to work on as well." 

Suzuki cut it to 5-2 at 18:46 on a backhand shot after splitting the defense. 

Caufield pulled Montreal to within 5-3 with a wrist shot from the high slot at 3:31 of the third period. 

Chinakhov seemed to extend the lead at 5:25, but the play was ruled offside after a challenge from the Canadiens. 

"I think any game you're going to have things that you're going to look back on," Penguins coach Dan Muse said. "There's some more things to clean up after tonight, for sure." 

NOTES: Malkin is the second 40-year-old in NHL history to score in each of his first two games of a season, joining Gordie Howe (1968-69).  ... Crosby's assist on Girard's goal was his 1,109th in the NHL, tying Joe Thornton for seventh in League history. ... Caufield led the NHL with 21 goals in games that took place on Saturday night last season. ... Forward Andrei Kuzmenko made his Penguins debut after taking a leave of absence on Sept. 24 to mourn the death of his father, Alexander. Kuzmenko signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Pittsburgh on July 1. ... Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. An update was not provided.