The Pittsburgh Penguins secured an impressive 9-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at home, marking their third win this month. While the game started close, with a 1-1 tie after the first period and a 2-1 Penguins lead heading into the third, Pittsburgh exploded in the final frame, scoring six unanswered goals to run away with the win.
Mike Sullivan expressed pride in his team’s effort, especially in the third period, where the Penguins truly took control. “We’re obviously proud of the group,” Sullivan said. “It was a lot closer game than the score indicated for a lot of the game. Montreal is a good team and a proud team.” He credited the pivotal fifth goal scored on the power play, which he described as an important turning point. “That was a really important goal for us. The timing of that power-play goal was key.”
Sullivan also highlighted the importance of goaltender Jarry’s performance, especially in the second period when the Penguins were outplayed at times. “I thought Jarry played extremely well. He made timely saves when we were being outplayed and gave us a chance to get back in it,” Sullivan said. “At key times in the game, you’ve got to get timely saves, and I thought Jarry did that for us tonight.”
Sullivan also praised Bryan Rust’s performance, reflecting on his journey from a second-line NHL player to a vital piece of the Penguins’ offense. “Rusty just goes about every day, he’s an honest player, and he’s evolved offensively to the point where he’s a 30-plus goal scorer,” Sullivan said. “He’s just a complete player. He’s a Penguin.”
Sidney Crosby: Momentum Shift, Focus on Improvement
Sidney Crosby, who had a strong game with 3 assists, spoke about how the team managed to stay composed despite a close game early on. “The score might look lopsided, but for most of the game, it was close,” Crosby said. “Jarry made some big saves, especially in the second period. He kept us in it, and we were able to get momentum after that.”
Crosby emphasized the importance of not letting up, even when the team had a comfortable lead. “We were on our toes,” Crosby added. He also acknowledged the team’s focus on getting better. “We’ve been playing better, but we need to keep improving and do the right things,” he said.
Bryan Rust’s Hat Trick and Penguins’ Success
Bryan Rust had a standout performance with a hat trick, which he described as something he would always remember. “It’s always fun, something that doesn’t happen all too often,” Rust said. “Sometimes the puck just finds you, and that’s how it goes. In the third period, everyone was great. We were on our toes and scored a lot of goals.”
Rust also reflected on the team’s approach to the game, noting that despite their lead, they stayed aggressive. “We weren’t sitting back, we just kept going at them,” Rust said. “The power-play goal was huge, and we just kept adding to the lead.”