Eller scores 2 goals, Malkin has goal and 2 assists as Penguins beat Canadiens 6-3

MONTREAL (AP) — Lars Eller had two goals against his former team, Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two assists, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-3 on Monday night.

Kris Letang, Kevin Hayes and Rickard Rakell also scored for Pittsburgh, and Tristan Jarry stopped 24 shots.

Sidney Crosby was held off the scoresheet, keeping him one point shy of 1,600. The 37-year-old is looking to become just the 10th player in NHL history to reach the mark.

Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky and Emil Heineman scired for Montreal. Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson each had two assists and Sam Montembeault made 26 saves.

Penguins: Eller converted both goals — his first points of the season — with wicked wrist shots. The 35-year-old from Denmark played for the Canadiens from 2010-16.

Canadiens: With Slafkovsky’s first of the season, the Canadiens scored a power-play goal for the fourth consecutive game. Rookie Lane Hutson didn’t produce a point, but fans cheered every time he touched the puck and the buzz only grew louder with every play, including a slick deke around Crosby late in the second period.

Hayes put the Penguins ahead 4-3 with 12:13 remaining in the game. The 32-year-old forward was all alone in front before burying a rebound past Montembeault. Letang doubled the lead four minutes later.

15:30 — that’s how long it took for the Canadiens to register their first shot on goal. Fans cheered sarcastically two minutes earlier when Jake Evans sent a dump-in toward the net, but the Canadiens weren’t credited with a shot.

Penguins host Buffalo on Wednesday night to open a two-game homestand, and Canadiens host Los Angeles on Thursday to wrap up a three-game stretch at home.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Montreal Canadiens' Justin Barron (52) upends Pittsburgh Penguins' Lars Eller (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky (20) moves in on Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry as Penguins' Erik Karlsson (65) defends during the second period of a NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Cole Caufield (13) moves in on Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during the second period of a NHL hockey game in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens' Emil Heineman (51) celebrates with teammates Arber Xhekaj (72), Oliver Kapanen (91) and Mike Matheson after scoring against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period of a NHL hockey game in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault makes a stick save during the second period of a NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Lars Eller reacts after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Pittsburgh Penguins' Rickard Rakell (67) celebrates with teammates Evgeni Malkin (71) and Michael Bunting (8) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault looks back on his goal after being scored on by Pittsburgh Penguins' Lars Eller (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Montreal, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Germany on Saturday was still in shock and struggling to understand the suspect behind the attack in the city of Magdeburg.

Identified by local media as 50-year-old Taleb A., a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist, authorities said he has been living in Germany for two decades. He was arrested on site after plowing a black BMW into a Christmas market crowded with holiday shoppers Friday evening, killing at least five people and wounding about 200 others.

Prominent German terrorism expert Peter Neumann posted on X that he had yet to come across a suspect in an act of mass violence with that profile.

Taleb’s X account is filled with tweets and retweets focusing on anti-Islam themes and criticism of the religion while sharing congratulatory notes to Muslims who left the faith. He also described himself as a former Muslim.

He was critical of German authorities, saying they had failed to do enough to combat the “Islamism of Europe.”

He has also voiced support for the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Some described Taleb as an activist who helped Saudi women flee their homeland. Recently, he seemed focused on his theory that German authorities have been targeting Saudi asylum seekers.

Neumann, the terrorism expert, wrote: “After 25 years in this ‘business’ you think nothing could surprise you anymore. But a 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim who lives in East Germany, loves the AfD and wants to punish Germany for its tolerance towards Islamists — that really wasn’t on my radar."

A person stands by flowers and candles placed outside St. John's Church near a Christmas Market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)