By IceHockeyMan Editorial Team | 1 November 2026
Match date: 1 November 2026.
Final score: Canadiens 5, Penguins 4.
The Canadiens held off a late Penguins push to win 5-4 on 1 November, with J. Anderson's two goals and assist giving the home side the decisive edge in a breathless contest. Pittsburgh twice drew level in the first period and cut the deficit to one again late on, but Montreal's second-period scoring burst proved just enough.
Game Story
Pittsburgh struck first at 2:08 of the opening period when E. Karlsson scored from S. Crosby and T. Novak. The response was immediate. O. Kapanen levelled 33 seconds later, assisted by O. Beck and F. Xhekaj, before J. Anderson put the Canadiens ahead at 3:05 from C. Kreider.
The Penguins were not shaken off. T. Novak made it 2-2 at 7:28, with R. Rakell and S. Crosby supplying the assists, and the teams went into the first interval level after an open opening seven minutes.
Montreal seized control early in the second. A. Texier restored the lead at 1:54, helped by L. Hutson and P. Danault, then C. Kreider made it 4-2 only 27 seconds later from A. Xhekaj and J. Anderson. That two-goal cushion was quickly tested when R. Rakell scored at 3:45, assisted by E. Karlsson.
The match remained within reach until J. Anderson's second goal at 13:06. L. Hutson and J. Evans created the Canadiens' fifth, providing the margin that survived the final period.
S. Crosby brought Pittsburgh back to 5-4 at 16:49 of the third, with E. Karlsson recording his second assist. The Penguins had a late one-goal game to chase, but the Canadiens closed it out. J. Fowler made 25 saves on 29 shots for Montreal, while S. Murashov stopped 22 of 27 for Pittsburgh.
Turning Point
The Canadiens' two goals in 27 seconds at the start of the second period created the separation. A. Texier turned a 2-2 game into a Montreal lead at 1:54, and C. Kreider promptly extended it to 4-2. Pittsburgh answered through R. Rakell, but J. Anderson's later second-period goal made the difference in a one-goal final.
Standout Performers
J. Anderson led the Canadiens with two goals and an assist, scoring the early go-ahead goal, assisting on C. Kreider's finish and then supplying the eventual winner at 13:06 of the second period. L. Hutson had two assists, both on important second-period Montreal goals. For Pittsburgh, S. Crosby recorded a goal and two assists, while E. Karlsson also posted a goal and two assists. J. Fowler's 25 saves were enough to protect the Canadiens' narrow lead.
Tactical Observations
This was a game shaped more by scoring runs than by prolonged control. Pittsburgh answered Montreal's first-period lead quickly, but the Canadiens made their most productive spell count immediately after the first interval. Once they had moved from 2-2 to 4-2, Montreal had a scoreline to manage rather than a game to chase. Pittsburgh kept finding routes back, first through R. Rakell and then through S. Crosby with 3:11 remaining, but the Canadiens did not concede the tying goal. The shot count was close, with Pittsburgh holding a 29-27 edge, so Fowler's work under a late one-goal margin carried real weight.
Coach Mark Comment
Those 27 seconds at the start of the second period are awkward for any bench trying to settle a game. Pittsburgh had done the hard part by getting out of the first at 2-2, then suddenly faced a two-goal deficit before the period had properly developed. Credit is due to the Penguins for answering through R. Rakell and making the last few minutes uncomfortable again, but J. Anderson's goal at 13:06 gave Montreal something tangible to defend. In a nine-goal game, that quieter second strike was the one that allowed the home side to breathe at the end.
What It Means
The Canadiens took a tight result despite Pittsburgh producing four goals and three-point nights from both S. Crosby and E. Karlsson. Montreal's ability to turn a level game into a two-goal lead early in the second period, then retain enough of that advantage, defined the outcome.
What Comes Next
For the Canadiens, the immediate question is whether they can carry the same finishing from their second-period burst into a less open game. Pittsburgh will take encouragement from recovering to within one goal twice, but will need to avoid allowing another short scoring run to become the deciding margin.