(My Sportsbook) - Pittsburgh's 3-3 deadlock against unbeaten Tampa Bay last Saturday night wasn't the variety normally classified as a "good tie." The Pens found themselves settling for only a point because they failed to protect three separate one-goal leads, including the one that finally bit them in the third period.

If one fast forwards to Tuesday night, the Penguins again found themselves settling for just a point, but this time it was courtesy of their own work. Mario Lemieux and Co. came back from a two-goal, third-period deficit and forced overtime by virtue of Aleksey Morozov's marker with 9.8 seconds left on the regulation clock.

"Coming back like that in the third, it's good for the team and it's good for our confidence," Lemieux said. "It was a difficult game for us. They played really well from the start and it's good to get out of here with a point."

Alexei Kovalev scored twice and Lemieux added three assists for the Penguins, who extended their unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2) since a lopsided season-opening loss to Toronto. Lemieux has been involved in 14 of Pittsburgh's 20 goals thus far, and leads the National Hockey League in scoring.

Goaltender Johan Hedberg stopped 30 shots and registered an assist to help Pittsburgh rally from a 3-1 deficit in the third period. He helped kill a four-minute power play late in the second period and stopped a one-timer from the low left slot by Canadiens' winger Randy McKay early in the third.

Morozov's tying score came with the Penguins up two men, as Montreal's Jan Bulis was whistled for high-sticking with 1:30 to play and Pittsburgh pulled Hedberg for another attacker. Dick Tarnstrom gathered the puck behind the Montreal goal and found Lemieux on the wing. Lemieux then directed it to the middle, where Morozov converted a low shot.

"I'm not surprised," Morozov told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I knew there were 10 seconds left, and everybody would try to jam the net. And I knew Mario would shoot it or pass it to me on the back door. And that's what he did."

Lemieux, Morozov and Kovalev -- the Pens' top line -- continue to be one of the league's most dangerous units in the early going. The trio has accounted for 14 goals and 20 assists in six games, and Morozov, an enigma for much of his NHL career, trails only Philadelphia's John LeClair for the NHL goal- scoring lead with six.

UP NEXT

The Pens visit reigning-champion Detroit on Friday before heading home for a two-game stand against Buffalo (Saturday) and Washington (Monday).