What Happened
The Montreal Canadiens lost in overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday after surrendering five unanswered goals between the 14:37 mark of the first period and the 15:32 mark of the second. Montreal had led 5-1 before the collapse, then rallied to force overtime and earn a point. Juraj Slafkovsky said the team fell asleep and that it should not happen, adding the group has discussed similar issues in each of its five years together.
Key Details
- Penguins scored five unanswered goals from 14:37 of the first period to 15:32 of the second.
- Canadiens led 5-1 before the Pittsburgh comeback and eventually lost in overtime.
- Montreal earned one standings point for reaching overtime.
- Slafkovsky, 22, said the Canadiens fell asleep and it should not happen.
- Slafkovsky said the core has been together five years and talks about this every season.
- Montreal beat Toronto on Tuesday and practiced in Pittsburgh on Thursday and Friday.
What It Means
The loss highlights a recurring concern for Montreal: lapses within games that erase strong starts. Slafkovsky's comments suggest the issue is not new for a core entering its fifth season together. While the Canadiens salvaged a point, the manner of the collapse overshadowed the result and added pressure to correct habits early in the season.
What's Next
Montreal will look to address its second-period habits in upcoming games as it continues the early portion of its schedule. The Canadiens' next opportunity to respond comes in their following game.