"It was a weird second period but I think after the second we knew it was a big two points for us," said Guentzel, who had a goal and two assists. "We needed to come out in the third and I think we did that tonight."

Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist also scored for the Penguins, who drew within two points of idle first-place Washington in the Metropolitan Division.

Casey DeSmith finished with 27 saves and happened to have a pretty good view of Crosby treating the puck like a yo-yo.

"That was one of the cooler things I'll see," DeSmith said.

"It was perfect timing, too, right at the end of the second, get it right back, I think that was a huge goal."

Jonathan Drouin, Nikita Scherbak and Jacob de la Rose scored for the Canadiens, but Montreal lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

"It doesn't matter if you're young or old, it sucks to lose," Montreal forward Brendan Gallagher said.

"I don't think anyone in here is happy with how it's been going lately. You come to the rink every day with the expectation that you're going to win, and too many times we've left disappointed. It's been tough."

The Penguins are in the midst of a sluggish stretch in which they've mixed performances where they look very much like a team capable of winning a third straight Cup with clunkers like their 4-1 loss to the fading New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

Sullivan ripped his players after that one for yet another lethargic start and lackluster play in the defensive end.

Barely 24 hours later, the start was better after Malkin and Hornqvist gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead, but the play in their defensive zone was iffy at best.

Drouin scored off the rush late in the first period to give the Canadiens momentum. Scherbak tied it 8:19 into the second with a gorgeous shorthanded deke by DeSmith.

Montreal briefly took the lead on de la Rose's goal, but then Crosby responded in a way very few of his peers can.

"You're always really sure what he's going to do," Guentzel said. "I think he amazes us every night."

Associated Press