Sun Oct 28 01:57:33 2007

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Markov's shootout score puts Canadiens past Penguins

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Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Andrei Markov scored the lone goal of the shootout and also tallied in regulation as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3, at Mellon Arena

After the first 16 players were unable to score in the shootout, Markov skated in faked a fore-hander and slid the backhander through the pads of Dany Sabourin to give the Canadiens the win and two points.

Mathieu Dandenault and Michael Ryder added goals in regulation for Montreal, which has won four straight after dropping its three previous games.

Carey Price made 20 saves for the Canadiens, who will host the Atlanta Thrashers on Tuesday night.

Petr Sykora and Ryan Whitney each had a goal and an assist, while Sidney Crosby tallied for Pittsburgh which has lost two in a row.

Marc-Andre Fleury got the start in goal for the Penguins, but gave up three goals on 15 shots before being replaced by Dany Sabourin early in the second period. Sabourin stopped all 13 shots faced. The Pens will play at Minnesota on Tuesday.

With the Canadiens holding a 3-2 lead in the late stages of the third period, the Pens got break when Steve Begin was whistled for a slashing minor with 2:19 remaining and Pittsburgh capitalized on the power play. Whitney's quick low wrist shot beat Price between the pads on a nice feed from Sykora to tie the contest with 1:52 left. Both teams had more chances in regulation, but weren't able to score and the game went into overtime.

Ryan Malone was assessed two-minute minor for hooking 15 seconds into the extra period, but Sabourin came up with several point blank saves to keep the game tied 3-3 with the Canadiens on the power play. Neither team could get the game-winner in overtime and the game went to the shootout.

The Canadiens got on the board with just over seven minutes into the opening stanza when Dandenault found a lose puck in the high slot a ripped a slap shot by Fleury to give the visitors the early lead.

Markov gave the Habs a 2-0 advantage with 9:07 left to play in the first while on the power play. With Jordan Staal in the box serving a minor elbowing infraction, Montreal went to work. With the faceoff to the right of the Pittsburgh goal, the draw was won cleanly back to the right point and shuttled to Chris Higgins along the right wing boards. Higgins then passed in front intended for Saku Koivu but was deflected and Markov backhanded the disc past Fleury from in close to up the Montreal's lead.

There was no further scoring in the first, but the Canadiens came out flying in the second and tallied another 49 seconds into the frame. Ryder took a pass at center ice, skated down the right wing boards into the Penguins zone and let a quick wrist shot go from the top of the right circle that appeared to handcuff Fleury, making it a 3-0 game.

Pittsburgh then pulled Fleury in favor of Sabourin and the Pens struck for a goal a little over two minutes later. Sykora's wrist shot from the left circle beat Price to cut the Canadiens' deficit to 3-1, giving the home team momentum and fans something to cheer about.

Crosby's even strength tally 8:16 into the period got the Penguins within 3-2.

Game Notes

Penguins center Tyler Kennedy made his NHL debut and didn't register a point...Montreal finished 2-for-4 on the power play, while Pittsburgh was 1- for-7...The Penguins outshot Montreal 28-23.