Washington stopped a two-game skid with a 5-4 win over Montreal at Capital One Arena on Wednesday, surviving a frantic late Canadiens push after Alex Tuch scored twice and added an assist.
Key takeaways
- Tuch drove the Capitals attack with two goals, including the winner with 2:55 remaining.
- Justin Holl’s third-period point shot put Washington ahead for good before Tuch added insurance.
- Alex Ovechkin reached 760 career assists and is now two behind Nicklas Backstrom’s Capitals record of 762.
- Josh Anderson scored twice for Montreal, with Alex Newhook setting up both finishes.
- Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for Washington, while Jakub Dobes stopped 19 shots for Montreal.
Capitals answer every Canadiens push
The Capitals improved to 4-3-0 after losing consecutive games, including Tuesday’s 4-2 defeat in Carolina. Montreal, now 3-3-1, arrived after back-to-back wins but could not complete another comeback after edging Buffalo 4-3 in a shootout the previous night.
Holl supplied the decisive swing at 12:29 of the third period. With the score even at 3-3, the defenseman sent a wrist shot from the right point through traffic for his second goal in as many games. Ovechkin earned the secondary assist, bringing him to 760 for his NHL career and within striking distance of Backstrom’s franchise mark.
Tuch stretched the margin to 5-3 at 17:05, spinning free in the right circle before beating Dobes. The Canadiens still made the closing minutes uncomfortable. Montreal pulled Dobes during a power play, creating a 6-on-4 setup, and Nick Suzuki snapped a shot from the left circle past Lindgren at 18:21.
Washington held on from there, with Lindgren turning aside 25 shots. Jordan Kyrou finished with a goal and an assist, while Ilya Protas recorded two helpers.
A fast start turns into a four-goal first period
Montreal struck first at 4:29 of the opening period after Kyrou lost the puck in the Washington zone. Newhook collected it below the goal line and fed Anderson in front, where the forward tucked home the opening goal.
Kyrou made amends at 7:56. Taking a drop pass from Cole Hutson just after a Capitals power play expired, Kyrou maneuvered around Anderson, drove into the high slot and fired a stick-side wrist shot to level the game.
Lane Hutson restored Montreal’s lead at 11:15, slipping past Ilya Protas at the blue line before snapping a shot from the slot for a 2-1 edge. Washington answered before intermission when Ivan Miroshnichenko, in his season debut, sent a pass through the crease on the power play at 19:34. The puck redirected off Anderson’s stick and crossed the line to make it 2-2.
Tuch gave Washington its first lead at 6:16 of the second, converting a short-handed 2-on-1 rush with Aliaksei Protas. After gathering a loose puck created by a deflection, Tuch entered the Montreal zone and beat Dobes from the left circle.
Anderson answered again at 12:58. Newhook stripped Holl along the left boards and found Anderson at the net for a tip-in, setting up the eventful third period and Washington’s eventual one-goal escape.
