Canadiens win wild Game 3 over Capitals, path sequence 2-1

MONTREAL — Cole Caufield had a target and an lend a hand because the Montreal Canadiens ran over Washington 6-3 in an electrical Game 3 that featured a brawl at the Capitals’ bench and each beginning goalies exiting with accidents Friday.

Christian Dvorak, Nick Suzuki, Alexandre Carrier, Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook additionally scored as Montreal lower Washington’s result in 2-1 within the first-round, best-of-seven playoff sequence.

Sam Montembeault stopped 11 of 13 photographs ahead of exiting with 8:21 ultimate in the second one length with an undisclosed harm. Rookie netminder Jakub Dobes stored seven of 8 the remainder of the best way.

Alex Ovechkin, Connor McMichael and Jakob Chychrun answered for Washington, which gained Games 1 and 2 at house.

Logan Thompson — berated by means of “Thomp-son!” name callings all night time — stopped 30 of 35 photographs ahead of additionally leaving with an harm. Thompson had to be helped off the ice after teammate Dylan Strome fell into him following Slafkovsky’s target with 6:37 ultimate. Backup Charlie Lindgren made 4 saves.

A heated battle between Capitals ahead Tom Wilson and Montreal’s Josh Anderson spilled into Washington’s bench on the finish of the second one length.

After some pushing and shoving between bruising defenceman Arber Xhekaj and Wilson with each benches empty, Anderson were given concerned and fell backwards into the Capitals’ bench, which had the door open.

The six-foot-four, 225-pound Wilson adopted Anderson in and charged via a linesman towards the Canadiens winger whilst different Montreal and Washington gamers exchanged blows at the ice ahead of a crackling Bell Centre crowd.

Wilson and Anderson every won 10-minute misconducts and minor consequences for roughing, whilst Xhekaj and Lars Eller have been penalized with offsetting roughing minors.

Moments ahead of the brawl, Caufield buried his 2d of the playoffs to position the Canadiens up 3-2 with 9 seconds left in the second one length after an interception and cross-ice feed from Lane Hutson.

Ovechkin replied with a tying target previous Dobes 2:39 into the 3rd length, however Dvorak’s shot banked off Duhaime and into the online at 4:17 to revive Montreal’s one-goal lead.

Slafkovsky then made it 5-3, slotting a Caufield cross into the online ahead of Thompson left the ice in noticeable ache. Newhook put the sport out of succeed in with a power-play target at 17:35 as “Olé, Olé” chants echoed across the construction.

It was once Montreal’s first playoff recreation with a sold-out crowd since 2017. The Canadiens performed ahead of a limited-capacity crowd of 3,500 of their ultimate playoff house recreation, Game 4 of the 2021 Stanley Cup ultimate.

Amped up smartly ahead of the puck dropped, the group set free deafening “Go Habs Go!” chants after the Canadiens jumped out onto the ice. The feverish cheers not on time the nationwide anthems, ahead of enthusiasts mercilessly booed “The Star-Spangled Banner” and belted out “O Canada.”

McMichael quickly quieted the construction when he opened the scoring 3:20 into the sport, deflecting Matt Roy’s shot previous Montembeault whilst status within the blue paint.

Carrier then tied the sport when his level shot flew previous Thompson’s blocker with 53 seconds ultimate within the first, sending the group right into a frenzy.

Suzuki gave the Canadiens a 2-1 lead with a power-play target at 8:37 of the second one, chipping a backhand over Thompson’s left shoulder after John Carlson fumbled the puck into the slot.

Chychrun replied somewhat greater than two mins later by means of hammering a point-blank slap shot previous Montembeault after a Canadiens defensive breakdown. Montembeault left the sport quickly after.

Game 4 will happen Sunday night time again on the Bell Centre. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

Canadiens head trainer Martin St. Louis modified his lineup for Game 3. Forward Kasperi Kapanen entered for Patrik Laine, whilst bruising defenceman Arber Xhekaj changed Jayden Struble.

Laine was once dominated out with an upper-body harm after being benched for all of the 3rd length in Game 2. The Canadiens stated he could be evaluated every day.

Towering ahead Aliaksei Protas remained out for Washington after head trainer Spencer Carbery stated he was once “a possibility” to play. The six-foot-six, 247-pound Protas — who broke out with 30 targets and 36 assists in 76 video games this season — hasn’t performed since April 4 with a skate lower to his left foot.