* The Pens were unhappy with their performance on Wednesday night in Madison Square Garden where they fell to the Rangers, 4-3, in overtime. In the contest the Pens outplayed New York in the opening 2 periods only to "throw away that game," according to defenseman Kris Letang.
A response game was expect Thursday night in Montreal. Though it didn't start out so well. The Habs netted an early 2-0 lead before the 7-minute mark of the 1st period. The Pens, though, battled back. Pittsburgh titled the ice in its favor for the remaining 53 minutes. The Pens were especially good in the final 2 periods, limiting Montreal to a mere 11 total shots over 40 minutes.
The Pens learned against the Rangers that there are no bad teams in the NHL and every night is going to be a battle. Tonight they heeded that lesson and brought the effort. There is no doubt Pittsburgh is a better team than Montreal. But the Pens still have to go out and prove it. That's exactly what they did.
* After being held scoreless Wednesday night in New York - a rarity in the 2018 calendar year - Evgeni Malkin was back to abusing the NHL with a 2-point night. Malkin's goal was a classic. The Russian sniper set up above the circle and used his patented one-timer. Malkin unleashed a bomb that went off of the post, eliciting a noise so loud it reverberated to the ceiling, and into the netting. How many times have we seen that script play out over the years?
Malkin's goal was his 40th of the season, marking his 3rd career 40-goal campaign. He is 2 behind league-leader Alex Ovechkin (42). Malkin now has 89 points on the season, and is on pace to hit the 100-point mark for the 3rd time in his illustrious career.
* The Pens' power play - a point of strength all season long - had been struggling of late. The unit appeared discombobulated and was killing the team's momentum. When things aren't going well, the answer is to simplify. That's exactly what the Pens did, and the result was a goal.
Pittsburgh set up in its usual formation. The Pens moved the puck along the perimeter to force the PKers to stay mobile and create lanes. Then Kris Letang fed Malkin's one-timer. Nothing fancy about it, just simple execution.
* Patric Hornqvist had 2 goals and 3 points in the game, and the 2nd goal was one of the sweetest of his career. Parked in front of the net - nothing unusual there - Hornqvist put his stick between his legs to tip a low Carl Hagelin point shot up and over the glove of Niemi.
The goal was his 400th career NHL point. It's only fitting that he hit the milestone while crashing the crease.
* Wingers Phil Kessel and Bryan Rust play really well together. For whatever reason the duo compliment each other. Perhaps it's the similar speed or the mental approach. They had a 2-on-1 rush in the opening period where Kessel fed Rust. He juked former Pen goalie Antti Niemi to the ice, but hit the post. Later in the game they had another 2-on-1 rush. This time it was Rust who passed to Kessel. Only this time, Kessel sniped for the score.
