Tommy Novak scores OT winner as Penguins rally to beat Canadiens 6-5

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

PITTSBURGH — Tommy Novak scored his second goal of the game 1:33 into overtime to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 6-5 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The overtime winner came after the Penguins had already blown a four-goal lead earlier in the game.

Novak, who also recorded an assist, took a wrist shot from the right circle on a 2-on-1 that was set up by Evgeni Malkin. Malkin contributed a goal and two assists, and Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang each added two assists as the Penguins improved after opening their season with a 7-0 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

Arturs Silovs made 20 saves for Pittsburgh in the victory, while Montreal’s Nick Suzuki finished with a goal and three assists and Cole Caufield scored twice. Ivan Demidov and Chris Kreider each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who had won their season opener 3-2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Jakub Dobes stopped 24 shots in defeat.

Montreal’s comeback began late in the third period when Suzuki helped swing the game after Dobes was pulled for an extra attacker. Suzuki set up two goals in 24 seconds, starting when he sent a pass from behind the net to Kreider for a one-timer in the slot, cutting the deficit to 5-4 with 1:08 remaining. Suzuki then tied the game 5-5 at 44 seconds left when he delivered a pass through the crease to Demidov at the right post.

Caufield put the Canadiens ahead 1-0 at 3:49 of the first period, scoring on their second shot on goal by skating into the right face-off circle and firing a wrist shot past Silovs’ blocker. Malkin answered for Pittsburgh at 14:07 of the first on a power play, scoring for the second time in his first two games of his 21st NHL season by backhanding home a rebound from Letang.

The Penguins built a large cushion quickly. Declan Carlile made it 2-1 32 seconds into the second period with a wrist shot from the right circle. Samuel Girard extended the lead to 3-1 at 7:59, finishing a wrist shot at the top of the crease off a backhand pass from Sidney Crosby.

Pittsburgh pushed the margin to 4-1 at 14:01 when Novak scored after taking a pass from Egor Chinakhov on another 2-on-1 and sending a wrist shot over Dobes. Ben Kindel then increased the lead to 5-1 by deflecting a point shot from Karlsson on a power play at 15:32, before Suzuki cut it to 5-2 at 18:46 with a backhand shot after splitting the defense.

Caufield brought Montreal closer again in the third period by pulling the Canadiens to within 5-3 at 3:31, firing a wrist shot from the high slot. At 5:25, Chinakhov appeared to extend Pittsburgh’s advantage, but the play was ruled offside following a challenge from Montreal.

The game also included an injury update: Montreal defenseman Alexandre Carrier left in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

With the overtime result, the Penguins earned two points despite a late Montreal surge, while the Canadiens demonstrated the ability to tie the game quickly after falling far behind in the scoreline. Montreal’s and Pittsburgh’s next games are scheduled later in the regular season, continuing from the early-season momentum each earned in their respective openers.

Article published with information from NHL.com (Oct. 3, 2026).