After completing their Mentors’ Trip and going 1-1, the Washington Capitals are back home for three consecutive games at Capital One Arena.
They’ll begin their homestand with a matchup against the upstart Montreal Canadiens who are 7-2-1 in their last 10. The Habs have gotten sublime performances from second-year players, Lane HUtson and Ivan Demidov, who are among their top scorers.
The Capitals are currently ravaged by injury and will be without Justin Sourdif (upper body), Tom Wilson (lower body), Jakob Chychrun (illness), and Pierre-Luc Dubois. Connor McMichael will skate at center — please, note every Capitals line has been jumbled due to the changes.
Logan Thompson will start in net and oppose Samuel Montembeault.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 7 pm. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin will have the call on Monumental Sports Network.
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Lines
Washington Capitals
Beauvillier
Strome
Ovechkin
Montreal Canadiens
Slafkovsky
Kapanen
Demidov
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped. Beauvillier-Strome-Ovechkin and TVR-McIlrath get the start.
Alexandre Texier rips one off the post after the Capitals turn it over in the corner.
Martin Fehérváry to the box for tripping Nick Suzuki 59 seconds into the game.
Slafkovsky hits the post on the power play.
Lots of zone time for the Habs, but the Capitals manage to kill their man advantage. Back to 5v5.
Caps have their first power play, after Joe Veleno hooks Nic Dowd at 7:55!
Oh no. The puck rolled off Ryan Leonard’s stick during the power play and Josh Anderson scores shorthanded.
🚨
1-0 Montreal Canadiens
SHG: Josh Anderson (10). Unassisted. Time: 8:13
Milano with a chance in front of the net but it looks like his shot hits a player in the crease and doesn’t go in.
Ethen Frank is flexing his hand at the bench after taking a hit to make a play.
A Beauvillier liftcheck forces a turnover and the puck finds Alex Ovechkin wide open in the slot. Unfortunately, Ovi ran out of room down low as he tried to make a move and was stopped by Montembeault from point-blank range in the final minute.
At intermission: The Habs lead 1-0. The Capitals have the advantage in shots 11 to 8.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Uh oh.
🚨
2-0 Montreal Canadiens
Goal: Brendan Gallagher (4). Assists: P. Danault (9), Z. Bolduc (8). Time: 7:40
Dylan McIlrath with a big hit on Jayden Struble, injuring the Canadiens forward.
Arber Xhekaj immediately comes over and fights McIlrath at the end of the play at 8:03. Xhekaj gets an instigator and a misconduct along with the matching major for fighting.
The Caps aren’t generating much of anything.
Dylan Strome ot the box at 17:31 for slashing Alexandre Texier.
Nic Dowd high-sticks Nic Suzuki giving a 5v3 power play for 1:04. Suzuki seems to have sold it.
Caps kill of the 5v3, but now they have to kill off the rest of the 5v4.
At intermission: The Capitals are losing 2-0. Montreal is outshooting them 20 to 17.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Ethen Frank is stopped on a chance down the right wing.
Alex Ovechkin sets up Ethen Frank at the top of the circles for a one-timer, but Frank’s five-hole chance is stopped by Montembeault.
Ethen Frank deflects home a Matt Roy point shot and the Capitals have some mo.
🚨
2-1 Montreal Canadiens
Goal: Ethen Frank (9). Assists: M. Roy (13), R. Sandin (12). Time: 5:06
Caps are really skating now.
Sammy Blais trips TVR at 10:24. Big power play here for the Capitals.
Sonny Milano hits Brett Leason of all people down low for a one-timer but Montembault makes a huge save.
Nic Dowd to the box for holding Arber Xhekaj at 13:42. He’s also being tossed with a misconduct after getting lippy with the ref and slamming his stick against the glass.
Habs don’t score on the power play.
Huge goal from Ethen Frank ties it!! His first 10-goal season in the NHL!
🚨
2-2 tie
Goal: Ethen Frank (10). Assists: R. Sandin (13), A. Beauvillier (7). Time: 18:06
At the end of regulation: The game’s tied 2-2. The Caps are outshooting the Habs 33 to 25.
Overtime
Puck is dropped.
Ethen Frank dekes around the Canadiens and nearly scores oh my god that would have been cool.
Ethen Frank forces a turnover at the blue line, springing Carlson.
Nick Suzuki to the box for tripping Connor McMichael at 1:54 of overtime. 4v3 power play.
Strome hits crossbar from the slot.
Capitals getting crazy looks but can’t score.
Capitals call timeout with 8 seconds remaining in the power play.
Dylan Strome calls his own number and Connor McMichael chips the goal home at the door step.
🚨
3-2 Washington Capitals
Goal: Connor McMichael (7). Assists: D. Strome (25), R. Sandin (14). Time: 4:21
Capitals win 3-2 in OT. Capitals outshot the Canadens 43 to 26.
Caps beat Canadiens 3-2 (OT) with Ethen Frank’s hard carry
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