Mark Recchi turns 39 today and will be honored before the Penguins' game against Montreal at 7:38 tonight at Mellon Arena.

Not because he has mastered the fine art of growing older -- although he seems to be getting pretty good at that -- but because he has reached a series of statistical milestones in recent weeks.

Mark Recchi: Not a bad couple of decades' work. Scouting report Matchup: Montreal Canadiens at Penguins, 7:38 p.m. today, Mellon Arena. TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WXDX-FM (105.9). Probable goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins. David Aebischer for Canadiens. Penguins: Have outscored opponents, 16-4, while winning their past three home games. ... C Evgeni Malkin does not have goal in the past four games, his longest drought of his rookie season. ... Have won 12 games when outshooting opponents and 12 when being outshot. Canadiens: Have won six of their past eight games at Mellon Arena. ... LW Sergei Samsonov has just one goal in his past 20 games. ... Are outscoring their opponents, 55-38, in the third period. Hidden stat: Canadiens have scored league-high 13 short-handed goals and allowed three.

Recchi recorded his 800th assist Dec. 15, his 1,300th point Jan. 7, his 1,300th game Jan. 16 and 500th goal Friday.

Not a bad couple of decades' work for a guy who was a fourth-round draft choice in 1988 and who many scouts suspected wasn't big enough to be productive in the NHL. Even Recchi responded "absolutely not," when asked yesterday if he expected to have so much individual success at this level.

"I was just looking for a shot," he said. "It's definitely been much more than I expected."

But Recchi, who earned Stanley Cup rings with the Penguins in 1991 and Carolina in 2006, plans to continue adding to his numbers for at least a while longer. He is the Penguins' No. 3 scorer, with 17 goals and 31 assists in 49 games and has no interest in retiring after this season.

"I'm enjoying it too much," Recchi said. "I enjoy working out, I enjoy the practices and being around these young guys -- seeing what they're bringing to the table, and their attitudes -- is making it really enjoyable for me."

Canadiens' effort in question

The Canadiens have sputtered in recent weeks, losing 10 of their past 17 games, but might have regained their equilibrium with a 3-1 victory against Ottawa Monday.

Or, more to the point, they might have done it in the aftermath of a lackluster effort in a 4-1 loss Saturday to Toronto, when defenseman Sheldon Souray and coach Guy Carbonneau offered harsh critiques of their play of late.

"We're so much better than we've shown," Souray told the Montreal Gazette. "We don't seem to be trying to work out of it. These guys don't have the passion, the flavor or the bite to be better. There's definitely guys who need a wake-up call ... to sense the urgency of the situation.

"It's up to us. We can't use the excuse that we're tired or sick. Excuses are for losers, and we have none. ... We shouldn't have to try to motivate each other.

"Guys should be able to motivate themselves more. The leaders need to be leaders."

Carbonneau said, "there's no excuse for a lack of effort," and challenged his players to perform to their potential.

"I'm not stupid enough to think every player's going to have a supernatural effort every night," he said.

"But this has been going on for more than a month, and we're all worried. The papers, TV, people are saying it, and yet we can't raise our level. That's what I have a hard time with.

"I keep hearing we're back to where we were before, last year at this time. Maybe we need to change the coach again."

Koivu cancer-free

Canadiens captain Saku Koivu, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2001, was declared cancer-free last week.

"The doctor said it's gone, and I hope to God it never comes back," Koivu told reporters.

"It has been five years. The cancer's gone. I'm like everyone else. I don't have to think about it anymore."

A portion of his final examination involved a piece of equipment that was purchased, in part, with money raised by the Saku Koivu Foundation.

Slap shots

Montreal right winger Alex Kovalev does not have a multi-goal game this season. ... The Canadiens earned 10 points in January after picking up 15 or more in each of the previous three months. ... The goal Penguins center Dominic Moore scored in their 3-0 victory against Florida Tuesday was the first of his six to come on home ice.