After a Tom Wilson hit changed the trajectory of Game 4, the Washington Capitals are on the precipice of winning their first playoff series since lifting the Stanley Cup in 2018.
To do so, they’ll need more timely goaltending and scoring. And tonight they’ll receive a boost from a familiar friend.
Thirty-goal-scorer during the regular season, Aliaksei Protas, will make his 2025 postseason debut and suit up in his first game since April 4 when he was cut in the foot by a skate blade. Taylor Raddysh will sit and Protas will replace him on the fourth line.
Jakub Dobeš will start for a second consecutive game in place of injured Sam Montembeault, who left Game 3 due to injury. Alexandre Carrier will play after being injured by Wilson’s big hit in Game 4.
Puck drop for Game 5 is at 7:00 pm on Monumental Sports Network. Joe B and Craig Laughlin have the call. Let’s go Caps!
Lines
Washington Capitals
Montreal Canadiens
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Bob McDonald signs the national anthems. He even did the Canadian national anthem in French!
Puck is dropped.
Duhaime-Dowd-Protas and Roy-Sandin get the start for the Capitals.
Alex Ovechkin toe drags Hutson and nearly scores on Dobeš with a backhander to the top corner.
TVR on a semi breakaway, but misses the net completely on his slap shot attempting to hit the top corner short side.
Canadiens have four of the first five shots in the game, mostly because the Capitals are missing the net or having shots blocked.
Turnover behind the net nearly ends up a Brendan Gallagher goal.
Nic Dowd breaks up a Ivan Demidov chance while on his knees.
Pierre-Luc Dubois to the box at 7:06 for interfering Ivan Demidov.
Habs power play.
Slafkovsky to the box for slashing Brandon Duhaime at 8:34.
4-on-4 Hockey for 32 seconds.
Caps power play for 1:28.
🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH PPG: Alex Ovechkin (4). Assists: D. Strome (6). Time: 09:12.
Alex Ovechkin’s fourth goal of 2025 postseason gives Capitals early lead in Game 5
Right off a faceoff win by Dylan Strome, Ovechkin hammers a shot past Dobeš. That was only the Capitals’ second shot of the night.
🚨 2-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Jakob Chychrun (2). Assists: P. Dubois (2), T. Wilson (3). Time: 11:15.
Jakob Chychrun with a sneak attack makes it 2-0. A beautiful pass by Pierre-Luc Dubois set him up for a layup.
Dobeš absolutely robs Tom Wilson wide open at the far post.
Duhaime to the box for roughing Guhle at 13:50.
Habs power play.
Caps kill penalty.
McMichael all alone on a breakaway, but can’t score on his backhand. (He needs a different move.)
At intermission: The Capitals lead 2-0. After starting the period outshot 8-2, they ended up outshooting the Canadiens 11-9. They also owned a slight edge in five-on-five shot attempts 19 to 16.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Ovechkin nearly scores again in front of the net.
Habs dominating most of play early in the period. A long shift from the Canadiens hems the Capitals in their own zone for about a minute.
Mike Matheson slashes Aliaksei Protas’s stick out of his hands at 05:45.
Caps power play.
Thompson stops a 3-on-1 break shorthanded break by the Habs. That’s a big moment in the game.
Dvorak with a sharp-angled shot shorthanded.
Canadiens kill penalty.
Ryan Leonard with a strong net drive, but he’s tripped to the ice. No call. Okay, sure.
Jake Evans to the box at 16:41 for holding.
Caps power play.
🚨 3-0 Washington Capitals. WSH PPG: Tom Wilson (4). Assists: J. Carlson (1), D. Strome (7). Time: 16:59.
At intermission: Capitals are outshooting the Habs 20 to 15. Habs are playing well possession wise, like owning the puck, but the Caps are just owning all the big moments.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Arber Xhekaj blatantly holds Tom Wilson down the wing and shoves him into the glass. No call.
🚨 3-1 Washington Capitals. MTL Goal: Emil Heineman (1). Assists: J. Armia (2), O. Kapanen (1). Time: 02:40.
From no angle, Heineman deflects a shot past Thompson to get the Habs on the board.
Habs bringing heavy pressure as one would expect with their season on the line.
Habs outshooting the Capitals 10 to 2 about halfway through the third period.
Alex Ovechkin stopped on a two-on-one break with Dylan Strome. That felt like it could be it. Another big save by the young Habs goalie.
Caufield inches away from burying a goal at the far post but Thompson makes the save.
🚨 4-1 Washington Capitals. WSH ENG: Brandon Duhaime (3). Assists: C. McMichael (2) Time: 19:34.
Capitals beat Habs in 5 games, advance to the second round!
Au revoir, les habitants: Caps beat Habs 4-1, will face Carolina Hurricanes in second round
12 more wins to go!
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