MONTREAL _ Over the past seven weeks that Sidney Crosby was sidelined with a sports hernia, the Penguins somehow posted the NHL's best record in December and found a way to gain ground in the playoff standings.
Solid goaltending. Disciplined play away from the puck. Proper management of the puck. And contributions from unlikely scorers all played a role.
But at the top of the list was the performance of the top line. Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust formed instant chemistry together. And why wouldn't they? A 40-goal scorer. A former Hart Trophy winner. And a speedy winger in the middle of his best goal-scoring season. Yeah, that should work.
But when Guentzel went down with injury, it left a void in the Penguins' lineup much wider than his 5-11, 180-pound physical dimensions would suggest. Not only did the Penguins have to replace a player on pace for yet another 40-goal season, they also had to find a way to keep that same chemistry going without one of the players with the highest hockey I.Q.
During Pittsburgh's 3-2 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens, a game that Brandon Tanev would eventually win in overtime, the Penguins showed both the challenges that they face in trying to replace their All-Star ... and also one possible solution.
Initially, the Penguins thought they would give Alex Galchenyuk a second chance on Malkin's left wing. They tried that tandem together during training camp and the handful of games Galchenyuk and Malkin were both healthy through early November. But when chemistry failed to materialize, Galchenyuk slid down the lineup.
Saturday night, the same thing played out in real time. For the second straight game, Galchenyuk started out on Malkin's left wing on the top line. However, by the midpoint in the second period, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan chose to make a change. He moved shifty winger Dominik Kahun into Galchenyuk's place.
Directly and indirectly, it seemed to make a difference. That group put together several positive, momentum-building shifts through the second period. Then, just over five minutes into the third period, their play showed up on the stat sheet, too.
Defenseman Jack Johnson fired a shot from the point. It ricocheted off the boards behind the net. Rust used his speed to chase down the rebound and beat goalie Cary Price, trying the score at 2. The goal was enough to help push the game to overtime and help the Penguins earn at least one point.
The Penguins never led in regulation. The Canadiens took a 1-0 lead just under nine minutes into the game. Max Domi made a creative, behind-the-back feed to Artturi Lehkonen in the slot. He wristed it past Penguins goalie Matt Murray, who was making his first start of the new year and just his fourth appearance since the end of November.
However, just 46 seconds after the first goal, the Penguins had the response. The Habs lost track of their defensive responsibilities. Teddy Blueger found Zach Aston-Reese all alone as he entered the zone. Aston-Reese snapped a wrist shot over Carey Price's blocker side to tie the score at 1.
A somewhat chippy first period featured eight total penalties. Joseph Blandisi and Shea Weber picked up offsetting roughing penalties. Later in the period, Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson dropped the gloves with Max Domi.
The Canadiens took a 2-1 lead less than four minutes into the second period. Out of the corner, Kris Letang tossed the puck in front of his own net. It was easily picked off by Lehkonen. He beat Murray on the short side for his second goal of the game.
After Rust's goal to tie the score, both teams had a couple chances. But the game went to overtime.
In overtime, Blueger fired the puck on net. Price made the initial save. But Tanev followed the rebound to help the Penguins clinch the two points.
The Penguins will be back in action at 5 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday against the Florida Panthers.
