The Washington Capitals are up 2-0 in their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Now the series turns to Bell Centre in Montreal where it’s expected to be super loud with 22k people in attendance.
The Capitals will go with the same lineup (no Protas) and return Logan Thompson, who has been tremendous in this series, back between the pipes. The Canadiens, who will be desperate to not go down 3-0, are inserting heavyweight enforcer Arber Xhekaj for Game 3. Patrik Laine is out due to a lower-body injury.
Puck drop for Game 3 is at 7:00 pm on Monumental Sports Network. Joe B and Alan May have the call. Craig Laughlin is missing the games in Montreal due to his health not being “100%.” Let’s go Caps!
Also, this is worth a read.
Alex Ovechkin leads the Capitals in playoff hits at age 39: ‘They don’t make them like him anymore’
Lines
Washington Capitals
Montreal Canadiens
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
The Canadiens PA announcer is asking fans to respect both national anthems. Honestly, they have my permission to boo if they want to.
Puck is dropped. Duhaime-Dowd-Raddysh and Roy-Sandin get the start for the Capitals.
It is LOUD.
Logan Thompson already being serenaded by the crowd with THOMP-SON chants.
Josh Anderson with the game’s first shot, wide open at the top of the circles, but Thompson makes the save.
Beauvillier turnover (to be fair, it was a tough pass by Alex Alexeyev) almost ends up in the back of the Caps net as Cole Caufield rifles a huge one-timer short side that Thompson stops.
🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Connor McMichael (3). Assists: M. Roy (1), R. Sandin (1). Time: 03:20.
McMichael redirects a Matt Roy indirect shot past Montembeault from the far post. The Canadiens were running around looking for big hits, allowing the Caps to take advantage. It’s no longer loud in Belle Centre.
Canadiens first line hemming the Caps in the zone, but Thompson makes several huge saves on Slafkovsky.
Ryan Leonard hauls down a Canadiens player at center ice after the whistle and there’s a scrum. Alex Alexeyev who is missing three teeth is going at it with David Savard.
Leonard going to the box at 7:31 for unsportsmanlike conduct on Jake Evans.
Canadiens power play.
Capitals kill Canadiens power play.
Leonard leaves the penalty box, makes a move down the right wing and gets hauled down by Alex Newhook at 9:47.
Capitals power play.
Montembeault robs Tom Wilson at the far post after a perfect cross-crease pass by Dylan Strome.
Thompson turns the puck over behind the net and Josh Anderson nearly beats him shorthanded. Whoa.
Canadiens kill Capitals power play.
Thompson stops an Alex Newhook backhand from the crease… how?
🚨 1-1 tie. MTL Goal: Alexandre Carrier (1). Assists: A. Newhook (1). Time: 19:07.
Connor McMichael turnover. Thompson screened. Habs are on the board. It’s deafening.
Oh my god – check out the pavilion outside the arena.
Nick Suzuki slashes Thompson in the mask with his stick at 19:21.
Capitals go to the power play.
At intermission: The Habs are doubling up the Caps in shots 15 to 7. Five-on-five shot attempts are 24 to 9 Habs. Five-on-five expected goals are 1.19 to 0.58 Habs.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Canadiens kill Capitals power play.
Leonard forces Montembeault into a flashy kick save with a heavy wrist shot from the top of the left circle.
Thompson is wincing in pain and stretching his neck out after making a save on a Montreal one-timer.
Brandon Duhaime gets called for an illegal check to the head on David Savard.
Canadiens power play.
🚨 2-1 Montreal Canadiens. MTL PPG: Nick Suzuki (2). Assists: Unassisted. Time: 08:37.
Suzuki chops a backhand over Thompson to give the Canadiens their first lead of the series.
🚨 2-2 tie. WSH Goal: Jakob Chychrun (1). Assists: A. Mangiapane (1), L. Eller (1). Time: 10:47.
Jakob Chychrun unleashes an absolute bomb from the left circle to level the game once again.
Duhaime is headed to the box again, this time for interference.
Canadiens power play.
Montembeault has been taken out of the game and is not on Montreal’s bench. Jakub Dobes has replaced him in the Canadiens’ net.
Capitals kill Canadiens power play.
🚨 3-2 Montreal Canadiens. MTL Goal: Cole Caufield (2). Assists: L. Hutson (3). Time: 19:51.
Rasmus Sandin coughs the puck up, and the Habs find Caufield for an easy finish at the end of the period.
At intermission: The Habs are up 3-2 in the game, 26-15 in shots, and 41-23 in five-on-five shot attempts.
Rare post-intermission update. Tom Wilson and Josh Anderson just got into a fight inside the Capitals’ bench.
Tom Wilson and Josh Anderson try to fight each other on Capitals bench after second period ends
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Penalties to start the period: Lars Eller for roughing, Arber Xhekaj for roughing, Tom Wilson for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct, and Josh Anderson for roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.
🚨 3-3 tie. WSH Goal: Alex Ovechkin (3). Assists: D. Strome (4), A. Beauvillier (3). Time: 02:39.
Alex Ovechkin slams home a beautiful feed from Dylan Strome early in the period to tie the game at three goals apiece.
🚨 4-3 Montreal Canadiens. MTL Goal: Christian Dvorak (2). Assists: D. Savard (1), J. Armia (1). Time: 04:17.
Christian Dvorak responds for the Habs at the other end, getting a lucky deflection to beat Thompson.
Trevor van Riemsdyk is headed to the box for what the referees are calling “interference.”
Canadiens power play.
Capitals kill Canadiens power play.
🚨 5-3 Montreal Canadiens. MTL Goal: Juraj Slafkovsky (1). Assists: C. Caufield (1). Time: 13:23.
Slafkovsky finishes off a great play from Caufield on a net-front drive.
Thompson is leaving the ice injured. Charlie Lindgren is taking the crease for the Capitals.
Chychrun gets called for cross-checking.
🚨 6-3 Montreal Canadiens. MTL Goal: Alex Newhook (1). Assists: B. Gallagher (2). Time: 17:35.
Alex Newhook finds the endzone for the Habs. That’ll do it, folks.
Capitals fall 6-3 in Game 3. They now lead the series 2-1 heading into Sunday’s Game 4.
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