Game 2, 2:00 P.M.: Canadiens Aim To Knot Series With Penguins

(Sports Network) - The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins will try to take a 2-0 series lead when they host the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals today at Mellon Arena.

The fourth-seeded Penguins, who are the highest seed remaining in the East, recorded a 6-3 victory at the Igloo in the opener of this best-of-seven series on Friday. Pittsburgh was 25-12-4 as the host during the regular season, but is just 2-2 on home ice so far in this postseason.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens will try to earn a split in the Steel City today before the series shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4. The Habs, who were 19-17-5 as the guest during the regular season, will host the third meeting Tuesday at the Bell Centre.

Pittsburgh, winner of the last two Eastern Conference titles, used a deadly power-play attack in Game 1 to down the Canadiens. Bill Guerin, Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski all posted a goal and one assist and the Pens tied a franchise playoff record for power-play goals in one game by going 4-for-4 on the advantage.

Jordan Staal, Craig Adams and Sergei Gonchar also tallied while Sidney Crosby added a pair of helpers for the Penguins. Crosby is leading the NHL with 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) in the playoffs.

“I thought we did a good job of not just trying to blow shots through guys,” Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said. “We had our heads up and were conscious of the shooting lanes. We got pucks to the net and fortunately we got some goals by them early.”

Marc-Andre Fleury picked up the win with 28 stops, but allowed three or more goals for the fourth straight game. Pittsburgh’s backstop has a sub-par .892 save percentage in seven playoff games this spring.

Even more of a concern than Fleury’s play for the Penguins is an injury suffered by centerman Jordan Staal. The Selke Award finalist left Game 1 and underwent surgery Friday night to repair a lacerated tendon in his right foot. He scored a goal in Game 1 before sustaining the injury and has four points (2g, 2a) in the postseason. There is no timetable for Staal’s return, but Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma denied reports that the centerman was out for the remainder of the playoffs.

Pens forward Tyler Kennedy (leg) and defenseman Jordan Leopold (concussion) are questionable for today. Kennedy has missed the last three games, while Leopold has sat out five in a row.

Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri and PK Subban tallied for the Canadiens, who had only one day of rest after rebounding from a 3-1 series deficit that included a stunning Game 7 road win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.

After masterful performances in each of the final three games in that series, Jaroslav Halak was shelled for five goals on 20 shots in 45-plus minutes on Friday. Carey Price finished the game by stopping all three shots he faced.

“They hit the seams and were active out there,” Canadiens defenseman Hal Gill said of the Penguins. “We have to be a little sharper. We’ll be more prepared next time.”

In addition to dropping Game 1, the Habs lost their top defenseman, Andrei Markov, to a right knee injury. Markov, who flew back to Montreal following Friday’s contest, will not play this afternoon and is sidelined indefinitely.

The Canadiens have also been without Jaroslav Spacek, who hasn’t played since Game 3 of the Washington series due to an undisclosed illness. Spacek is expected to miss today’s tilt as well.

Montreal and the Pens have met just once before in the playoffs and that was back in the opening round of the 1998 postseason when Montreal notched a six- game series victory.

The Penguins won three of four against the Habs during the regular-season series. Pittsburgh took the first three encounters by a combined 12-4 margin before Montreal avoided the season sweep with a 5-3 home victory on Feb. 6.