Pens net two shorthanded goals

April 11, 2009 at 9:55p.m.

MONTREAL (AP) — Maxime Talbot and Kris Letang scored short-handed goals 27 seconds apart midway through the third period to send the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

Evgeni Malkin, poised to claim his first NHL scoring title, increased his point total to 113 with his 35th goal 1:09 into the game for Pittsburgh. The Penguins will face Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs, with home-ice advantage to be determined Sunday when the Flyers host the New York Rangers.

Roman Hamrlik scored for Montreal, which will be the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference and face top-seeded Boston in the postseason.

Story appears in Sunday’s edition.