Final
Christensen, Crosby score twice as Penguins defeat Canadiens
Mar 17, 2007 - 3:49 AM PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Thanks to Erik Christensen and Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins moved up in the standings.Christensen and Crosby each scored two goals as the Penguins posted an important 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Gary Roberts netted the eventual game-winner and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves for Pittsburgh (40-21-10), which moved within four points of the idle New Jersey Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division and into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
"We knew Montreal is battling for their lives, and we're in a pretty good position right now," Christensen said. "We've worked hard for it, and we don't want to be taken advantage of by not coming to the rink and playing hard."
The multi-goal game was the fifth of the season for Crosby, who leads the NHL with 75 assists and 106 points.
Crosby scored a spectacular goal at 4:28 of the first period, weaving his way through four defenders and snapping the puck past Montreal goaltender David Aebischer to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.
"I just tried to split the defense and get a shot off and just try to drive through the middle," Crosby said. "There wasn't much going through my mind, except just breaking through there."
"He beat me in between my glove and my body, and that's usually never a good goal if you get beat there," Aebischer said. "He was 1-on-4, so I didn't think he could get a shot off but he did, and I should have stopped it."
The Penguins have won six of their last seven games.
"We just take it game by game and worry about ourselves, and the rest will take care of itself," Pittsburgh right wing Colby Armstrong said. "We've just got to keep playing. If we keep the right focus and keep moving a game at a time, I think everything will be fine."
Defenseman Sheldon Souray and Andrei Markov each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (35-31-6), who remained 11th in the East.
"We're battling for every point and that's what's frustrating about the loss," Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau said. "After four days when we were playing really well, we had them (Pittsburgh) on their heels. We made some little mistakes at the start of the game and in the third period and we had a tough time recovering.
"When you have a talented team like they have on the other side, they make you pay."
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MONTREAL 0 2 1 3
PITTSBURGH 2 0 4 6 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: PIT - SIDNEY CROSBY 30 (MARK RECCHI, RYAN WHITNEY) 4:28
PIT - ERIK CHRISTENSEN 15 (UNASSISTED) 19:34
2ND PRD: MON - (PP) CHRIS HIGGINS 19 (MICHAEL RYDER, SHELDON SOURAY)
3:33
MON - (PP) SHELDON SOURAY 24 (TOMAS PLEKA
Mar 16 10:01 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 3
PITTSBURGH 6
3RD PRD: PIT - (EN) SIDNEY CROSBY 31 (MARK RECCHI, RYAN MALONE) 18:55
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 9:58 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 3
PITTSBURGH 5
3RD PRD: PIT - MICHEL OUELLET 15 (EVGENI MALKIN) 13:47
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 9:49 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 3
PITTSBURGH 4
3RD PRD: MON - (PP) ANDREI MARKOV 5 (SAKU KOIVU, MICHAEL RYDER) 5:40
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 9:34 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 2
PITTSBURGH 4
3RD PRD: PIT - GARY ROBERTS 16 (COLBY ARMSTRONG, ALAIN NASREDDINE)
4:20
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 9:33 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 2
PITTSBURGH 3
3RD PRD: PIT - ERIK CHRISTENSEN 16 (EVGENI MALKIN, MICHEL OUELLET)
3:40
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 9:30 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MONTREAL 0 2 2
PITTSBURGH 2 0 2 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: PIT - SIDNEY CROSBY 30 (MARK RECCHI, RYAN WHITNEY) 4:28
PIT - ERIK CHRISTENSEN 15 (UNASSISTED) 19:34
2ND PRD: MON - (PP) CHRIS HIGGINS 19 (MICHAEL RYDER, SHELDON SOURAY)
3:33
MON - (PP) SHELDON SOURAY 24
Mar 16 9:06 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 2
PITTSBURGH 2
2ND PRD: MON - (PP) SHELDON SOURAY 24 (TOMAS PLEKANEC, ANDREI MARKOV)
16:06
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 9:02 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 1
PITTSBURGH 2
2ND PRD: MON - (PP) CHRIS HIGGINS 19 (MICHAEL RYDER, SHELDON SOURAY)
3:33
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 8:38 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MONTREAL 0 0
PITTSBURGH 2 2 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: PIT - SIDNEY CROSBY 30 (MARK RECCHI, RYAN WHITNEY) 4:28
PIT - ERIK CHRISTENSEN 15 (UNASSISTED) 19:34
SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MON 10 10
PIT 10
Mar 16 8:14 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 0
PITTSBURGH 2
1ST PRD: PIT - ERIK CHRISTENSEN 15 (UNASSISTED) 19:34
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 8:14 PM - NHL
MONTREAL 0
PITTSBURGH 1
1ST PRD: PIT - SIDNEY CROSBY 30 (MARK RECCHI, RYAN WHITNEY) 4:28
Canadiens vs. PenguinsMar 16 7:46 PM
Related News
- The week ahead: Penguins have opportunity for big — and important — week Dec 26
- Pens Points: Holiday Hangover Dec 26
- Celebrating the holiday with the Penguins’ Christmas-themed videos of the past Dec 24
- Pens/Sens Recap: Pittsburgh plays well in one period, salvage one point in Ottawa Dec 23
- Gamethread: Pens @ Sens Dec 23
- Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Ottawa Senators 12/23/2023 - Lines, how to watch Dec 23
- Thoughts on Thoughts: Pens looking for defense, Crosby tinkering with stick pattern Dec 22
- Penguins weekly stock report: Alex Nedeljkovic gets on a roll Dec 22
- Pens Points: Surviving the Storm Dec 22
- Penguins/Hurricanes Recap: Crosby only Pens’ goal scorer in game, shootout to lead team to victory Dec 21
- Gamethread: Hurricanes @ Penguins Dec 21
- Penguins players visit patients at UPMC Children’s Hospital Dec 21