Anderson Scores Twice as Canadiens Edge Penguins 5-4 for Fifth Straight Win

Josh Anderson scored twice and added an assist as the Montreal Canadiens held on for a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night, extending their winning run to five games. The Bell Centre clash exploded into life early, with Erik Karlsson giving Pittsburgh a power-play lead just 2:08 in, only for Oliver Kapanen and Anderson to reply within 24 seconds of each other and put Montreal in front. Tommy Novak tied it at 2-2 before the first period was out, but the Canadiens seized control early in the second, with Alexandre Texier and Chris Kreider scoring 27 seconds apart to make it 4-2. Rickard Rakell pulled one back for the visitors before Anderson's second of the night, at 13:06 of the second, restored a two-goal cushion. Sidney Crosby, who recorded his 1,112th career assist to move past Ray Bourque for the most assists by a player with one franchise, scored late in the third to set up a tense finish, but Montreal held on despite being outshot 15-4 in the final period. Jacob Fowler made 25 saves to win a seventh straight game, while Crosby and Karlsson each finished with a goal and two assists for Pittsburgh.