I’m not good at scary, but tonight’s game sure could be. After playing one of their greatest games — perhaps in years — the Washington Capitals will take on the lowly Montreal Canadiens, who are 4-5-1 and in the basement of the Atlantic Division, and try to avoid a letdown.
With a win, the Capitals could jump over the Rangers for second place in the Metro and sit one point behind the division-leading Devils with four games in hand.
Charlie Lindgren will get the start in net for the Caps while Alex Alexeyev will make his season debut with Jakob Chychrun out. Catch up with all the happenings from the morning skate.
Hot RMNB stories off the presses
- Spencer Carbery outlines Hendrix Lapierre’s path back to Capitals lineup after healthy scratch against Rangers
- Washington Capitals are ninth most valuable franchise in NHL after 31-percent growth over last year
- Ethan Bear on refinding his footing with the Hershey Bears: ‘This is just exactly what I needed’
- Connor McMichael put together an incredible, 10-shot performance against the Rangers: ‘He was all over the ice. Could have had four goals.’
- Alex Alexeyev and wife Kate welcome their first child, a boy
- Matt Roy and Jakob Chychrun skate in non-contact jerseys, status unknown for weekend back-to-back
The Capitals-Canadiens game is airing on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin have the call. Puck drop is shortly after 7:00 pm.
Lines
Washington Capitals
Montreal Canadiens
Tunnel Shenanigans
No frights, only delights here#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/rY83C1cpPM
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 31, 2024
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
Yeah, like nothing happened in that period.
At intermission: The Capitals outshot the Canadiens 7 to 6 and out-attempted them 19 to 9 at five-on-five.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
And, folks, we finally have a goal!
🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH PPG: Tom Wilson (6). Assists: A. Ovechkin (4), J. Carlson (6). Time: 03:21.
Alex Ovechkin hits Tom Wilson with an indirect shot and Wilson tips hit home.
On a rush down the ice, Rasmus Sandin rips a shot off the post.
Set up splendidly by Connor McMichael, Aliaksei Protas scores a shorty, but Big Pro entered the zone offside. No goal.
🚨 1-1 tie. MTL PPG: Cole Caufield (10). Assists: N. Suzuki (9). Time: 09:52.
Cole Caufield calls his own number and beats Charlie Lindgren over the right pad.
1-1!!!!!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/r8cw40KMUC
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 1, 2024
🚨 2-1 Montreal Canadiens. MTL Goal: Brendan Gallagher (4). Assists: L. Hutson (6), C. Dvorak (3). Time: 10:31.
Thirty-nine seconds later, Gallagher tips the puck past Lindgren to give the Canadiens their first lead of the game.
🚨 2-2 tie. WSH Goal: Brandon Duhaime (1). Assists: T. Raddysh (2), T. van Riemsdyk (5). Time: 11:45.
Duhaime shoots through a maze of players for his first goal as a Capital.
🚨 3-2 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Jakub Vrana (2). Unassisted. Time: 12:39.
Mike Sgarbossa finds Jakub Vrana in the slot for a five-hole goal. That’s two Capitals goals 54 seconds apart. This game is showing signs of life now.
🚨 3-3 tie. MTL Goal: Nick Suzuki (4). Assists: D. Savard (4), L. Hutson (7). Time: 18:00.
Suzuki with a huge shot from the left circle. Charlie Lindgren was partially screened by Martin Fehervary trying to block the shot.
At intermission: That period was 2 fast, 2 furious. The Capitals are outshooting the Canadiens 18 to 12 and out-attempting them 40 to 17 at five-on-five. This game is not close at evens.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 4-3 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Connor McMichael (5). Assists: T. van Riemsdyk (6), T. Wilson (2) Time: 04:21.
Connor McMichael scores on the goal line to make it 4-3 Caps early in the third. He slams the glass behind the net where he appears to have a moment with a Caps fan dressed as a pirate.
🚨 5-3 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Aliaksei Protas (5). Assists: A. Ovechkin (5). Time: 04:57.
Aliaksei Protas takes it to the net where good things happen and his backhand clunks off a Canadiens defender and in. That’s two goals 36 seconds apart.
Huge save by Lindgren on Caufield during a Habs’ 5-on-3 power play.
Capitals kill off a Habs’ 1:35 5-on-3 PP. Huge moment in the game. Both Duhaime and Wilson were in the box serving penalties.
🚨 6-3 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Alex Ovechkin (5). Assists: A. Protas (6), D. Strome (10). Time: 12:27.
That’s career goal no. 858 for Alex Ovechkin. Welcome to the list, Cayden Primeau.
🥊 Josh Anderson fights Tom Wilson. Anderson did not like a clean hit Wilson delivered to Kaiden Guhle behind the net on a Capitals power play and the gloves were off. Anderson won the fight handily pouring it on at the end, but picked up an extra penalty for roughing.
Capitals win 6-3. This game started slow, and I mean SLOW. But once the Caps got going it was a goal bonaza once again. The Capitals outshot the Habs 34 to 16 and out-attempted them 62 to 30 at five-on-five.
Sweet as some candy corn on Halloween: Capitals beat Canadiens 6-3
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