Crosby scores first goal of season for Penguins in win against Canadiens

MONTREAL --Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the season, and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-0 at Bell Centre on Thursday.

Tristan Jarry made 24 saves for his first shutout of the season, Teddy Blueger had two goals and an assist, and Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist for Pittsburgh (6-6-4), which ended a three-game losing streak.
"I thought we did a good job of moving our feet, putting pressure on them and getting some early goals to get the lead," Crosby said.
Cayden Primeau allowed five goals on 31 shots in two periods before he was pulled for Montreal (4-13-2), which has lost four straight. Sam Montembeault made 11 saves in relief.
"We have a lot of games and a lot of road to go," Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot said. "We have a game a day from now, so park this one and get ready for the next one."
Crosby, who had one assist through his first three games, put the Penguins up 1-0 when he drove to the net to finish off a three-way passing play with Guentzel and Bryan Rust at 3:36 of the first period.
"I was just trying to get up in the play, if a pass got broken up or if a puck laid there I was just going to try to clean it up, and 'Guentz' made a great play," Crosby said. "'Rusty' to 'Guentz,' and then 'Guentz' made a great play to find me there. I had an open net."
Crosby made his season debut in a 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 30 after having wrist surgery Sept. 8. The center returned from missing five games while in NHL COVID-19 protocol in a 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Sunday and got his first point with an assist in a 3-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
"He didn't have the preseason, no training camp, gets hit with COVID right away," Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang said. "Just COVID itself, when you're 10 days at home doing nothing, even if you can ride the bike it's nothing like going on the ice. It's a different type of conditioning, so it takes time. He's just going to get better and better. It's just a question of time."

Danton Heinen ended a six-game point drought when he made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 12:38.
Guentzel scored for a third straight game to make it 3-0 at 19:12, with Letang and Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot screening Primeau.
Blueger, who had one point, a goal, in his previous seven games, made it 4-0 at 13:49 of the second period. He took a pass from Zach Aston-Reese and scored from the slot.
Brock McGinn extended the lead to 5-0, deflecting Mike Matheson's wrist shot from the right point at 16:12.
Blueger scored at 19:49 of the third period for the 6-0 final.
Montreal forward Cole Caufield had one shot and was minus-3 in 15:21 after being recalled from Laval of the American Hockey League.
"I feel like I had my legs tonight, had some jump," Caufield said. "The team as a whole had some spurts during the game, but we've got to find a way to piece together 60 minutes. That's what happens when you don't."
NOTES: Assistant Todd Reirden coached the Penguins in the absence of Mike Sullivan, who did not travel because he remains subject to quarantine to enter Canada. Sullivan will be able to rejoin the Penguins for their game at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. … Crosby has 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) in 41 games against Montreal. … Jarry has eight NHL shutouts. … Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher played his 600th NHL game…. Montreal defenseman Mattias Norlinder played 17:39 and had one shot in his NHL debut.