2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference QFs
Game 2: Montreal Canadiens (WC2) @ Washington Capitals (M1)
WSH leads 1-0
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the United States: ESPN
In the Capitals region: Monumental Sports Network
Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
If there were any doubts about the Canadiens’ top line’s ability to carry its play from the second half of the season into the playoffs, we got that answer right away as the three players were Montreal’s best in Game 1. The Washington Capitals were trying everything to slow them down, but nothing could take them off their game as Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki authored a two-goal comeback.
At the same time, Washington’s top line enjoyed even more success, with Alexander Ovechkin and Dylan Strome finishing the game with three points each, their last recorded on the overtime winner. The all-time leading goal-scorer had six games with at least three points during the season, with one of those coming versus Montreal at home on Halloween, so containing him has been a bit of an issue for Montreal at Capital One Arena this year.
It’s not easy for Martin St-Louis to counter those star players without last change on the road, so it will take a more concerted effort from whichever players find themselves on the ice with Strome and Ovechkin to make their chances more difficult. Too many shots were taken from mere feet in front of Samuel Montembeault, and while he has proven to be one of the strongest goalies in stopping such shots in recent seasons, it would lighten the burden on the starter to have fewer pucks to deal with tonight.
The Canadiens players say they want to play a more physical game tonight, and that would serve them best in front of their net. It will be a balancing act between wanting to keep the crease clear and not putting Ovechkin on the power play by going over the line.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| #13 Cole Caufield | #14 Nick Suzuki | #20 Juraj Slafkovský |
| #17 Josh Anderson | #28 Christian Dvorak | #11 Brendan Gallagher |
| #51 Emil Heineman | #71 Jake Evans | #93 Ivan Demidov |
| #92 Patrik Laine | #15 Alex Newhook | #40 Joel Armia |
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| #21 Kaiden Guhle | #48 Lane Hutson |
| #8 Mike Matheson | #45 Alexandre Carrier |
| #47 Jayden Struble | #58 David Savard |
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| #35 Samuel Montembeault | #75 Jakub Dobeṧ |
Scratched: Oliver Kapanen, Michael Pezzetta. Arber Xhekaj
Injured: Kirby Dach
Washington Capitals projected lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| #8 Alexander Ovechkin | #17 Dylan Strome | #72 Anthony Beauvillier |
| #24 Connor McMichael | #80 Pierre-Luc Dubois | #43 Tom Wilson |
| #88 Andrew Mangiapane | #20 Lars Eller | #9 Ryan Leonard |
| #22 Brandon Duhaime | #26 Nic Dowd | #16 Taylor Raddysh |
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| #6 Jakob Chychrun | #74 John Carlson |
| #38 Rasmus Sandin | #3 Matt Roy |
| #27 Alexander Alexeyev | #57 Trevor van Riemsdyk |
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| #48 Logan Thompson | #79 Charlie Lindgren |
Scratched: Ethen Frank, Dylan McIlrath
Injured: Martin Fehervary, Sonny Milano, T.J. Oshie, Aliaksei Protas
