Aliaksei Protas scores clutch goal, Capitals edge Canadiens

Field Level Media|published: Sat 17th February, 22:04 2024

Feb 17, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Washington Capitals forward Anthony Mantha (39) scores a goal against Montreal Canadiens goalie Jake Allen (34) during the first period at the Bell Centre. credits: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Aliaksei Protas and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and an assist for the visiting Washington Capitals in a 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.

T.J. Oshie and Sonny Milano also scored and Darcy Kuemper made 28 saves for the Capitals, who had lost eight of nine.

Arber Xhekaj, Alex Newhook and Nick Suzuki scored, Joel Armia had two assists and Jake Allen made 30 saves for the Canadiens, who have lost four of five.

Protas ended a 29-game scoring drought when he put in a rebound at 11:57 of the third period to give the Capitals a 4-3 lead.

The Capitals took a 1-0 lead at 3:40 of the first period.

Protas tipped a wrist shot from Nick Jensen, causing the puck to squeeze between Allen's pads before Mantha swept it into the net.

Montreal tied it 1-1 at 5:04 of the first.

Joshua Roy dropped a pass for a trailing Xhekaj and he scored with a one-timer from between the blue line and the left circle.

The Capitals moved back ahead 2-1 with a power-play goal at the 10:00 mark of the first period.

Dylan Strome made a pass from just below the left circle to Oshie in the slot and he scored with a one-timer.

The Canadiens tied it back up 2-2 at 16:15 of the second period.

Newhook was trying to make a pass from the right circle to Roy at the opposite side of the net, but it was blocked by Washington forward Beck Malenstyn and Newhook shot the loose puck into the net.

The Capitals moved back ahead for a third time, 3-2, at 3:27 of the third period.

Max Pacioretty made a short centering pass to Milano and he redirected the puck into the net.

The Canadiens went on a power play at 8:40 and Suzuki scored on a one-timer from the left circle 1:05 into the man-advantage to tie it 3-3.

The Capitals played most of the game with five defensemen after Martin Fehervary sustained a lower-body injury from blocking a shot early in the first period and did not return.

Alex Ovechkin's goal-scoring streak for the Capitals ended at six games, matching his NHL career high.

—Field Level Media

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