Habs cut Capitals' series lead to 2-1 with six-goal outburst

Field Level Media|published: Fri 25th April, 23:31 2025

Apr 25, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield (13) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals during the second period in game three of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook recorded one goal and one assist each as the host Montreal Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals 6-3 in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Friday.

The Capitals lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 with Game 4 scheduled for Sunday in Montreal.

Defenseman Alexandre Carrier, Nick Suzuki, Christian Dvorak and Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for the Canadiens. Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault stopped 11 shots before leaving the game in the middle of the second period. Jakub Dobes made seven saves in relief.

"It's playoffs, anything can happen," Canadiens winger Josh Anderson said. "... Just thinking about the energy the crowd brought and what a big win it was."

Connor McMichael, defenseman Jakob Chychrun and Alex Ovechkin tallied for Washington.

"Mistakes are happening, we expect that," Capitals defenseman John Carlson said. "There were big mistakes today."

Logan Thompson stopped 30 shots before he was injured on Slafkovsky's goal in the third period when teammate Dylan Strome ran into him. Thompson was replaced by Charlie Lindgren, who made four saves.

Ovechkin forged the game's final tie 2:39 into the third period on a one-time shot from the inside edge of the left circle off the rush. His third goal of the playoffs made it 3-3.

Montreal reclaimed the lead 1:38 later when Dvorak's shot went in off the stick of Washington's Brandon Duhaime as Dumaine tried to block the shot. Slafkovsky made it 5-3 with 6:37 left when he tipped in a pass off the rush, and Newhook added an insurance goal on a power play with 2:25 remaining.

Caufield gave Montreal a 3-2 lead with nine seconds left in the second period on a one-timer from just below the left circle.

Suzuki's power-play goal made it 2-1 Canadiens 8:37 into the second after a giveaway by Washington defenseman John Carlson. It took Chychrun just over two minutes to re-tie the game.

Montembeault, who appeared to sustain a lower-body injury, was replaced by Dobes with 8:21 left in the second period and did not return.

Montreal forward Patrik Laine did not play due to an upper-body injury.

--Field Level Media

Latest