News » Canadiens had taken a 4-3 lead in the third period

The Edmonton Oilers didn’t have wait long to face the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ duo of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.And Edmonton coach Todd McLellan believes he has a pair of players just as formidable in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.The Oilers look for a rare win over the Penguins as they continue a homestand against top-tier teams on Tuesday night.Article continues below ...Edmonton hasn’t beaten Pittsburgh in regulation since Jan. 10 www.officialsabres.com , 2014, going 1-5-2.And since McDavid’s rookie season in 2015-16, the Oilers have dropped three one-goal decisions to the Penguins in Western Canada.“We got to try and get a big win against a team that knows how to win games,” McDavid said after practice on Monday.Crosby — now in his 14th season — has taken home more than his share of hardware including two MVP titles, two scoring championships and three Stanley Cups.But McDavid could not point to one facet of No. 87’s game that stands out.“It’s his full 200-foot game,” Edmonton’s captain said hours after being named the league’s second star of the week. “He’s dominant in the faceoff circle. Solid defensively and, obviously, his offense speaks for itself.“He’s a guy that’s kind of that perfect mix of everything. He’s got that flash, but he’s also got a grind to him that is hard to play against.”It’s hard to perceive Crosby as struggling offensively, but he’s logged just five assists through six games. In seven career games versus the Oilers in Edmonton, Crosby has one goal and seven helpers.Pittsburgh (3-1-2) opened a four-game Canadian road trip Saturday with a 3-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs behind two goals and an assist from Malkin.Malkin is the Pens’ top producer this season with three three-point games. He’s alsocollected three goals and nine assists on the season.A two-time scoring champion, Malkin has five goals and an assist in a five-game points streak against the Oilers. Pittsburgh has never lost in regulation — 9-0-2 — to Edmonton when Malkin notches at least one point.McDavid (four goals, seven assists in six games) is an MVP and the reigning two-time scoring champion. He’s also posted two goals and five assists in four career games versus the Pens.“He’s a great player. He’s done an amazing job since he’s gotten into the league Buffalo Sabres T-Shirts Authentic ,” Crosby told the team’s official website. “He’s off to another great start.“He’s always a challenge to play against. You’ve got to make sure you’re ready to go.”Pittsburgh will also have to watch out for Draisaitl, who has just two goals and four assists in six games, but is always dangerous.“(Pittsburgh) sounds like our team with Connor and Leon when they’re playing well,” McLellan noted Monday. “We should be a tough matchup for them. They should be talking about what it’s like with 97 and 29.”Tuesday’s tilt at Rogers Place is the Oilers’ fourth of six straight against teams that recorded at least 100 points last season. Edmonton (3-3-0) faces the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals on Thursday before traveling for a rematch with the Nashville Predators on Saturday.The Oilers’ three-game winning streak ended with a 3-0 loss to Nashville last Saturday. MONTREAL (AP) — Antti Niemi felt good after his first start of the season — and a win.Niemi made 25 saves, and Paul Byron and Jonathan Drouin scored in the shootout to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.Niemi, getting the start with Carey Price out with the flu, also stopped both shots in the shootout — on Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.“It was a tough first half, didn’t see many pucks and I gave up a few goals,” Niemi said. “Not what you normally want to see. In the third, I started seeing a few more pucks and I was feeling good.“I have to be really happy with my night.”With the score tied 3-3, the Canadiens’ goalie made 14 stops in the third period and another three in a frantic overtime period that saw Montreal fail to score on a 4-on-3 power play.After Byron scored first in the shootout for Montreal, Niemi forced Malkin to the outside and completely took away his shooting angle. Following Drouin’s goal, Crosby needed to score to send it to a third round but the Penguins’ captain found Niemi’s glove instead.“Stay with them Buffalo Sabres Hoodies Authentic , get a good gap and go from there,” Niemi said of his shootout saves. “Nothing special.”Tomas Tatar had two goals and an assist, and Brendan Gallagher had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens.Dominik Simon, Kris Letang and Phil Kessel scored in regulation for the Penguins, and Casey DeSmith had 37 saves through overtime.Making the 13th start of his NHL career, the 27-year-old DeSmith made big saves when it mattered most to help Pittsburgh earn a point.With seven minutes left in the game, DeSmith robbed Artturi Lehkonen twice to keep the teams tied. In overtime, DeSmith frustrated Max Domi from in close.“That was wild,” said DeSmith, who made 35 saves in a 4-2 win over Vegas on Thursday. “Really exciting game for the fans. Happy we got a point but I hate losing as much as everyone else. I was seeing the puck really well tonight. Happy with how my game’s progressing.”Added Penguins coach Mike Sullivan of his goalie: “I thought he was terrific.”Montreal also defeated Pittsburgh 5-1 last Saturday.Simon and Letang scored in the first period to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead. Daniel Sprong fed Simon in front of the goal with a one-handed scoop pass and the 24-year-old beat Niemi on the backhand at 3:13. Letang doubled Pittsburgh’s lead with 4:44 left with a shot on Niemi’s blocker side.The Canadiens came out buzzing in the second period, scoring three straight goals before Kessel tied it again. Montreal outshot Pittsburgh 19-4 in the second.Just 11 seconds into the middle period, Tatar beat Letang to a loose puck in front of the net, then fired past DeSmith for his first in a Canadiens uniform.Gallagher tied it 2-2 at 7:38 after jumping on a rebound of Jeff Petry’s point shot.Tatar got his second of the game Buffalo Sabres Hats Authentic , on the power play, by firing the puck off DeSmith and in from the side of the net at 8:51 to push Montreal ahead.“We knew we weren’t good enough in the first and we talked about how we needed to be better,” said Tatar, who joined Montreal in the offseason trade that sent former captain Max Pacioretty to Vegas. “We got a pretty good jump at the start of the second period.“Everyone played well in the second period and we had a lot of pressure. We all deserve the credit.”With the Penguins on a man advantage, Kessel made it 3-3 from the slot at 11:14.Montreal failed to score on a 5-on-3 power play that lasted 1:49 to end the second period.It looked like the Canadiens had taken a 4-3 lead in the third period when defenseman Victor Mete put the puck past DeSmith, but the goal was called back for goaltender interference on Andrew Shaw after a challenge by Sullivan.NOTES: Montreal also had a goal overturned in its previous, also due to goalie interference against Shaw, in its 3-0 loss to Los Angeles. … Pittsburgh D Justin Schultz left the game in the first period and did not return. Schultz’s leg folded awkwardly as fell to the ice after taking a hit by Tomas Plekanec, who was making his 999th career start.UP NEXTPenguins: Host Vancouver on Tuesday night.Canadiens: Host Detroit on Monday night.