(Wednesday, October 10th)

Final Score: Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 2

Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Andrei Markov scored what proved to be the game-winner in the third period, as Montreal defeated Pittsburgh, 3-2, to give rookie netminder Carey Price a win in his NHL debut.

Price, the fifth overall pick in the 2005 draft, stopped 26 shots for the Canadiens, who finished a season-opening three-game road trip with a record of 2-0-1.

"I think when you just start your career in the NHL, it's nerve-racking a little bit," said Habs head coach Guy Carbonneau. "Everybody wants to play well. Carey's been good in training camp and he deserved the start tonight. It wasn't an easy team to face, but he played very well."

Markov and Tomas Plekanec each had a goal and an assist for Montreal while Alexei Kovalev also found the back of the net.

Ryan Whitney and Maxime Talbot each scored and Mark Recchi contributed two assists for the Penguins, who were coming off a 5-4 win Saturday against Anaheim.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury finished with 32 saves while Sidney Crosby, who is battling through a foot injury, recorded an assist.

After a scoreless opening period, Pittsburgh struck first with a power play goal 7:08 into the second period. Crosby created the scoring opportunity for the Penguins, crashing the right side of the net with the puck. Whitney was there to finish off the rebound and give Pittsburgh the lead.

Montreal, however, answered with a power play goal of its own just under six minutes later to tie the game. The Penguins failed to clear the puck from their own zone and Markov's cross-ice pass found Plekanec at the right circle and he beat Fleury to make it 1-1.

Then, with exactly three minutes left before the second intermission, Plekanec found a streaking Kovalev along the right boards. Kovalev skated in alone on Fleury and beat him stick side to give Montreal a 2-1 lead.

Markov made it 3-1 Canadiens just 2:51 into the final period when he stuffed home a rebound, but Pittsburgh answered less than a minute later as Talbot scored off a pretty no-look, back-handed feed by Evgeni Malkin from behind the Montreal net.

Pittsburgh, however, was unable to net the equalizer as Montreal held on for the win.

"He weathered the storm in the first period, which really helped them," said Crosby. "We came out pretty hard, but we still had chances after that. They did a good job around the net deflecting pucks."

Game Notes

Last season for Hamilton of the AHL, Price went 15-6 with a 2.06 GAA while leading the team to the Calder Cup championship...Montreal outshot Pittsburgh 14-7 in the final period.

10/10 23:36:59 ET