Tommy Novak saves the Penguins from blown lead with OT winner in home opener

King Jemison, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Oct 3, 2026

Published in Hockey

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PITTSBURGH — The sellout crowd roared for the Big Three. They roared even louder for No. 66. And then the Pittsburgh Penguins produced the loudest roars of all with an emphatic stretch of five unanswered goals in the home opener Saturday.

But the Montreal Canadiens punched back. Trailing 5-1 late in the second period, the visitors surged back to force overtime.

Tommy Novak saved the day for Pittsburgh.

The Penguins forward scored in overtime off a pass from Evgeni Malkin to lift the Penguins to a 6-5 win over the Canadiens on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.

The Penguins introduced their 2026-27 roster before the game. Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang received their customary crowd pop. Then, Mario Lemieux walked out to drop a ceremonial puck before the game, and the fans at PPG Paints Arena boomed.

Pittsburgh started slowly. But before long, they took over the game and looked like they would cruise to an easy win in the home opener.

Instead, the Canadiens made them work for it.

The Penguins did not immediately translate the energy in the building to the ice, at least not in helpful ways.

Pittsburgh was sloppy in the opening minutes, and Montreal made them pay. About four minutes into the game, Cole Caufield streaked up the wing unimpeded. Nick Suzuki found him, and Caufield beat Arturs Silovs for the first goal of the game.

The Canadiens were outshooting the Penguins 7-1 through the first 10 minutes of the game.

Pittsburgh started to flip the momentum in the second half of the opening period. Then former Penguin Mike Matheson completely flipped it for them.

The Canadiens defenseman nearly shoved Crosby through the door to Montreal’s bench, which the Penguins captain did not appreciate.

Matheson went to the box, and Pittsburgh scored on the ensuing power play. Malkin knocked in the rebound of a Letang shot for the first home goal of the season for Pittsburgh.

The Penguins took control of the game from there.

About 30 seconds into the second period, Declan Carlile flew up the ice and rocketed in a goal from the top of the circle off a breakout pass from Rickard Rakell.

Carlile had five points in 47 career NHL games entering the night. He could have a lot more this season if that dynamic offensive play is any indication.

Pittsburgh kept pouring it on.

Shortly before the midway point, Crosby located the rebound of a Kaedan Korczak shot, wrapped around the net and found Sam Girard in front for the Penguins’ third goal.

After Silovs made some impressive saves to maintain the 3-1 lead, Novak gave him more breathing room. Egor Chinakhov soared into the zone on a 2-on-1. Usually, he should shoot the puck every chance he gets. This time, he made a perfect pass to Novak, who cashed it.

And about 90 seconds later, Ben Kindel showed he’s been paying attention to the man he sits next to in the Penguins’ locker room. Kindel had a Crosby-esque deflection of an Erik Karlsson shot on the power play to give the Penguins a 5-1 lead about 15 minutes into the frame.

Montreal got one back late in the second period. Suzuki cut through multiple Penguins during a 4-on-4 and flipped a backhand past Silovs.

The Canadiens controlled the early moments of the third period, and Caufield brought them within two on a laser from the slot.

Chinakhov appeared to pad the Penguins’ cushion with a nasty goal on a backhand-to-forehand move. But Montreal successfully challenged for offside on the play.

Silovs made multiple tough saves down the stretch, including a glove snag of Ivan Demidov.

But Montreal pulled within one with just over a minute remaining. With goalie Jakub Dobes pulled, Chris Kreider finished a feed from Suzuki.

And it didn’t take long for the Canadiens to find an equalizer. Less than 30 seconds later, Demidov bested Silovs off another great Suzuki pass.

Around the boards

— The Penguins activated Ben Kindel from injured reserve Saturday. The 19-year-old forward had been week-to-week with a lower-body injury suffered in the first preseason game.

Pittsburgh put forward David Gustafsson on waivers to make room for Kindel.

— Andrei Kuzmenko returned to the team after he had stepped away following the sudden death of his father in Russia. He made his Penguins debut, suiting up on the third line with Kindel and Hendrix Lapierre.

Up next

The Penguins stay home for a Monday game at 7:30 p.m. ET against the Winnipeg Jets. It could be Pittsburgh goalie Sergei Murashov’s first start of the season. And the Penguins might be facing their former netminder Stuart Skinner.

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