NHL: Pittsburgh 5, Montreal 4

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Sergei Gonchar scored his first goal this season Thursday to break up a tie game 7:18 into the third period and give Pittsburgh a 5-4 win over Montreal.

Gonchar appeared in only his third game after having shoulder surgery last summer. His goal brought interim coach Dan Bylsma his first victory since replacing the dismissed Michel Therrien Feb. 15.

Evgeni Malkin added a goal and an assist for the Penguins and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 23 shots.

The game was tied at 2-2 going into the third period and the teams combined for five goals before the stanza was 8 minutes old.

Malkin and Maxime Talbot scored during the opening 3 minutes to give the Penguins a 4-2 advantage, but Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec tallied for the Canadiens.

Gonchar then put a blast through a crowd of players that eluded Carey Price.

Montreal lost its fourth straight.