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Brian Gionta scored two goals to lead Montreal to a 5-3 victory against the Penguins at the Bell Centre this afternoon.

The Penguins (35-22-1) are scheduled to play in Washington Sunday at 12:08 p.m., although it remains to be seen if they’ll actually be able to get there.

Left winger Chris Kunitz, who is recovering from abdominal surgery, did not play today. It is not known if he will dress for the Capitals game.

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His first 50-goal NHL season isn’t quite in the bag, but center Sidney Crosby skated several strides toward that elusive plateau on Monday night.

Crosby’s third hat trick, and the fifth of his five-year career, fueled a 5-4 victory against the Buffalo Sabres at Mellon Arena. Crosby’s 37 goals are tied with San Jose center Patrick Marleau for the league lead.

“It always helps when Sid has a game like he did (last night),” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said after stopping 30 shots, including 20 of his final 22 faced. “That was huge.”

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This was not all about the things the Penguins didn’t do or could have done better.

Not when Ottawa was so relentless, so efficient. When its goaltending was so solid, its commitment to sound defense so firm.

Let no one question whether the Senators earned their 4-1 victory Thursday night at Mellon Arena.

The Penguins just figure, with good reason, that they could have made Ottawa work a little harder to get it.

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Chris Conner would have been happy to settle for a bit less.

To take a dozen or so solid shifts, make a few good defensive plays, maybe show a little creativity in the offensive zone

And maybe — just maybe — to pick up a point, if things really broke his way.

Well, whether this was how he planned it or not, Conner became the star of the Penguins’ 4-2 victory Monday night against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, scoring two goals just hours after being recalled from their American Hockey League team in Wilkes-Barre.

Conner was summoned from the Baby Penguins because Bill Guerin, who usually mans the right side on Sidney Crosby’s line, was unable to play because of an undisclosed injury.

(PHOTOS) Matt Cooke tipped in a Sergei Gonchar shot during a power play at 18:13 of the third period to give the Penguins a 2-1 victory against Philadelphia today at the Wachovia Center.

The power play that led to the winning goal was set up when Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen shot the puck over the glass at 16:50 of the final period.

Brent Johnson, a surprise starter in goal for the Penguins, gave up a soft one during a Philadelphia power play at 5:18 of the opening period. Flyers forward Jeff Carter knocked the puck off the back of the net, then chipped it off Johnson’s right leg and into the net to make it 1-0.

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Pittsburgh Penguins players and coaches traded their sticks and skates for bowling balls as the Penguins Wives Association hosted the 2nd annual “Pens and Pins” charity bowling tournament to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia at the Crafton-Ingram Bowling Lanes on Friday night.

Each player or coach served as a celebrity team captain and was paired with one of the 11 Make-A-Wish patients in attendance. They were joined by about 80 other bowlers who donated to Make-A-Wish to throw a couple frames with their favorite players.

“This is great,” goaltender Brent Johnson said. “Everyone has fun bowling. Getting everyone together and doing this for a great cause is fantastic.”