Capitals ⁢Face ​Canadiens in ​Stanley Cup⁣ Playoffs First Round

The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens are set to clash in the first round of the Stanley ⁤Cup‍ Playoffs.The Capitals,champions of the Metropolitan ‌Division and the top seed in the Eastern Conference,boast home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series ⁢against ⁣Montreal,who secured‍ their playoff spot as⁣ the second ‌wild card after a 4-2 victory ⁢against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Capitals​ Aim for Deep Playoff Run

Washington⁣ finished the regular season‍ with a 51-21-9 record. Key to their success is forward Dylan Strome, who‍ leads‍ the team with ⁣81 points (29 goals, 52 assists) in ⁤81 games. NHL⁤ all-time goals‍ leader Alex Ovechkin is second with 72‌ points (43 goals,29 ⁣assists) in 64 games. The ⁢Capitals offense is further bolstered by Tom Wilson​ (33 goals), Aliaksei Protas ‌(30 goals), Connor McMichael (25 ​goals),‍ Jakob ‍Chychrun and Pierre-Luc Dubois‌ (20 goals each). Between the pipes, Logan ⁣Thompson has a 31-6-6 record with a 2.49⁢ goals-against‌ average and a .910 save percentage; his‍ status is uncertain due to an upper-body injury. Charlie Lindgren stands ready, holding a⁢ 20-14-3 record, a 2.73 GAA ⁣and .896⁤ save percentage.

Canadiens Look to Upset ‍Top-Seeded Capitals

The Canadiens,with a regular season‍ record of 40-31-11,are powered by captain Nick ‍Suzuki,who posted a career-high 89 points (30 ‍goals,59 assists) in 82 games. ⁤Cole Caufield also set ⁣career highs with 37 ⁢goals⁢ and 70 points. Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson contributed 66‍ points (six goals, 60 assists). ​Goaltender Sam Montembeault recorded a⁤ 31-24-7 record with a 2.82 GAA and .902 save ​percentage. Backing him ​up is Jakub Dobes, who went 7-4-3 with a 2.74 GAA and ‌.909 ‍save percentage.

Season Series Recap: Capitals Dominated Canadiens

In the regular season series, ​Washington held a 2-0-1‍ advantage ‌over Montreal. Thompson had a 1-0-1 ⁤record with a 3.04 GAA and .899 save⁣ percentage,while Lindgren went 1-0-0 with a ‍2.19‍ GAA and‍ .875 save⁣ percentage. Wilson⁤ (three ⁢goals, one assist) and Protas (one goal, three assists) led the Capitals in scoring against⁣ Montreal. Ovechkin⁤ contributed one goal and two assists.

For the ​Canadiens,‍ Caufield scored in⁤ each game against Washington,⁢ totaling three goals‌ and two assists. Suzuki (two goals, ‍two assists) and Hutson (four assists) also had strong ⁣performances.Montembeault made 31​ saves in a 4-2 loss on Dec. 7,and⁢ Dobes⁢ made 15⁢ saves in a 3-2 overtime win on Jan.⁤ 10.

Playoff History and Expectations

Last season, the Capitals were swept by the New York Rangers in the first round.The Canadiens are⁢ returning⁣ to⁤ the postseason for the first time since 2021,⁢ when they reached the Stanley⁤ Cup Final, ultimately losing to the Tampa Bay ​Lightning in⁤ five ​games. The series promises an exciting matchup, with⁤ the capitals looking to capitalize⁢ on their regular-season success and the Canadiens aiming to pull off an⁤ upset.

Considering the Canadiens secured a wild card spot, what adjustments have‌ they made to their game that allowed them​ to clinch a playoff berth?

Capitals ‌vs. Canadiens: ‍Your Playoff Primer

Get ready for an electrifying first-round matchup as the Washington Capitals face the Montreal Canadiens‌ in the Stanley Cup Playoffs! Here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know.

Q&A: Decoding the Capitals vs.Canadiens Series

• Who are the favorites?

  The Washington Capitals, as ‌the Metropolitan Division champions and top seed in the Eastern Conference, hold home-ice ‌advantage and are favored. They had a‍ strong regular season.

• How did ​the Canadiens make the playoffs?

  The⁢ Montreal ⁤Canadiens‌ secured their playoff spot‌ as the second‍ wild card team after⁣ a ​crucial 4-2 victory against the ⁤Carolina Hurricanes.

• Who are‌ the​ key players to watch⁣ for the Capitals?

  Keep an eye on Dylan Strome (team leader in points), Alex Ovechkin, Tom⁢ Wilson, and the goaltending situation, especially if​ Logan Thompson is healthy.

• Who⁢ are the ⁣key players to watch for the Canadiens?

  Watch out for⁢ Canadiens’ captain‌ Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson, who are key to ⁢the Canadiens’ offense.

• What was the regular⁢ season⁢ series​ like?

  The Capitals ⁤dominated the regular season series with a 2-0-1 record against Montreal. Interestingly, both ⁤teams had ‍goaltenders who performed well in limited appearances.

• What’s the playoff history between these teams?

  Last year,the Capitals were swept in the first round. ‌The ​Canadiens are returning‌ to the playoffs for the first time as their 2021 Stanley Cup Final⁣ appearance.

• What is the status of the goaltenders?

  The capitals’ Logan Thompson is uncertain due to an upper-body injury. Charlie Lindgren is ready to step ​in. Canadiens’ ‍Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes are the primary goalies.

• What are the ⁣Capitals’ chances?

  The Capitals ​are looking to go deep in the playoffs ‍after a strong regular season, with ‍the Capitals’ offense being a ⁢key factor.

• what⁢ are ⁣the Canadiens’ chances?

  the canadiens are aiming to pull off an upset against a higher-seeded team, with their key players looking to⁣ make a statement.

Get ready ‌for some exciting‍ hockey! This‍ series promises a thrilling start to the ‌Stanley Cup Playoffs.