Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals bought right into a festive temper early and infrequently in a late-afternoon New 12 months’s Eve matinee Saturday towards the Montreal Canadiens. By the top of a 9-2 win, hats made an look on the Capital One Area ice as Ovechkin notched his second hat trick of the season.
Washington, D.C
Caps close out the year by putting up nine goals in rout of Canadiens
Ovechkin was hardly the one Capital offensive weapon to toy with Montreal goalie Jake Allen (31 saves) — he was merely probably the most prolific. He now has six objectives in his previous 4 video games and 26 on the season.
Goaltender Charlie Lindgren continued his sturdy month of December, making 31 saves whereas incomes his eleventh win as a Capital. The Capitals gained for the sixth time in seven video games and wrapped up an 11-2-2 month.
“This entire December, how we performed reveals how good we’re,” mentioned Erik Gustafsson, who opened the scoring together with his sixth purpose. “And if we are able to hold this rolling — you understand, we’ve got large gamers coming again, too, quickly — it’s a enjoyable stretch we’ve got right here, and we simply should hold rolling.”
Washington (21-13-5) took a 2-0 lead into the second interval earlier than the fireworks actually began. The groups mixed for 5 objectives within the center body, with three of them going to the hosts, the final a power-play strike from Dylan Strome with 39 seconds remaining within the interval.
Ovechkin then began the third interval together with his second purpose of the sport, approaching the facility play simply 82 seconds in. Ovechkin has 37 objectives in 53 video games towards Montreal. Requested afterward if there’s something concerning the Canadiens that conjures up him, the captain deflected. “I simply take pleasure in to play hockey,” he mentioned.
Marcus Johansson scored the Capitals’ seventh purpose about 4 minutes later and appeared to attain once more simply 25 seconds later earlier than it was overturned after the Canadiens efficiently challenged for offside.
Anthony Mantha scored on a breakaway at 15:43 of the third earlier than Ovechkin accomplished the hat trick with 3:25 remaining, leaving officers to take away followers’ donations to the staff’s hat assortment from the ice floor.
Gustafsson’s purpose got here simply 32 seconds into the sport, giving a powerful indication of the avalanche to return. Gustafsson has all six of his objectives and 7 assists previously seven video games.
“Gus actually appears to be spreading his wings proper now,” Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette mentioned. “Getting a chance to play loads of large minutes. … It’s simply one thing that he’s completed in his previous that possibly simply has not been there for him, and there’s a chance out there for him now, and he actually is hovering with that.”
4 minutes after Gustafsson’s purpose, Garnet Hathaway deflected a shot from Aliaksei Protas in entrance to present the house staff a 2-0 benefit. It was Hathaway’s fourth purpose of the season.
“Scoring on the primary shift, it’s good to see,” Lindgren mentioned. “All of us knew we needed to have a bounce-back recreation after [Thursday’s loss in overtime to Ottawa]. I don’t suppose anybody was actually pleased with their recreation. I believed we performed fairly nicely tonight. Proud of two factors.”
Cole Caufield bought the Canadiens on the board by burying a one-timer from the weak aspect on the facility play at 4:02 of the second interval earlier than Nic Dowd restored the Capitals’ two-goal lead, scoring on the doorstep with 11:29 left within the second.
Washington’s subsequent recreation is Tuesday at residence towards Buffalo.
Here’s what to know from Saturday’s recreation:
Martin Fehervary performed his first recreation since an upper-body damage sidelined him Dec. 3. Fehervary was nonetheless sporting a light-weight brace on his left arm Friday, however he was medically cleared to play towards the Canadiens after a 12-game absence.
Fehervary recorded an help in 18 minutes of ice time, paired with Matt Irwin. Laviolette mentioned earlier than the sport that Washington would most likely “hold a watch” on Fehervary’s minutes to ensure the defenseman wasn’t getting overworked.
“I wouldn’t have identified [he was out]. I believed Marty performed a very good recreation,” Laviolette mentioned. “His skating appeared good. I believed him and Matty I. had been actually sturdy defensively. That was actually good to get him again in there. You could possibly simply inform his velocity and physicality, getting again in there was actually good for us.”
Washington despatched down defenseman Lucas Johansen to the staff’s American Hockey League affiliate in Hershey, Pa.
Snively in for Aube-Kubel
Ahead Joe Snively slotted into the lineup for the primary time since Nov. 15. It marked Snively’s sixth recreation of the season. Snively had a main scoring alternative early, hitting the crossbar with 8:40 remaining within the first interval.
“It was a chance to get him in there, and I believed he performed very nicely,” Laviolette mentioned. “He was pushing offensively, arrange that purpose that bought referred to as again. He had a pair possibilities in entrance, so I believed it was good he got here again in there and he was a superb, optimistic contributing issue for our staff.”
Snively changed Nicolas Aube-Kubel within the lineup. Aube-Kubel had performed in Washington’s earlier eight video games and recorded 4 assists. Aube-Kubel was on the ice for warmups towards the Canadiens however left the ice early after he didn’t take part in any line rushes. The Capitals introduced Aube-Kubel as a wholesome scratch.
Lindgren’s sturdy December play has been essential for a staff that entered the season with two new goaltenders. Lindgren and starter Darcy Kuemper (10-9-3) are the one tandem within the NHL by which every goaltender has 10 or extra wins.
“[Lindgren] has performed extraordinarily nicely for us; I believe everybody is aware of that,” Laviolette mentioned Saturday. “When Darcy was out, he actually stepped up large. And Darcy has been in there for a couple of video games now, and I believed it was a fantastic spot for Charlie to return again in. However actually the boldness we’ve got in each goaltenders proper now could be actually excessive.”