Canadiens slide past Caps in OT for 3rd straight win

Nick Suzuki scored with 3:45 left in overtime to lift the visiting Montreal Canadiens over the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Friday night.

Cole Caufield scored in his fifth consecutive game for Montreal and assisted on Suzuki’s fifth game-winning goal of the season. Josh Anderson added a short-handed goal and rookie Jakub Dobes stopped 15 shots to help the Canadiens notch their third straight win and sixth over their last seven contests.

Jakob Chychrun and Lars Eller scored for Washington, which went beyond regulation for the third straight game (1-0-2). Logan Thompson made 18 saves in relief of Charlie Lindgren, who exited after being struck in the head during a collision with Suzuki early in the second period.

Eller tallied 1:54 into the third period to tie the game 2-2. In the extra session, Suzuki and Caufield had a two-on-one breakaway, and as the loose puck went toward the crease, Suzuki chipped it over Thompson for the game-winner.

Montreal finished with a 30-17 advantage in shots. It was just the third time this season – but the second straight contest – the Capitals posted fewer than 20 shots in a game.

Chychrun opened the scoring on the power play less than three minutes into the game. Jake Evans tried to clear the puck from the sideboard, but it went straight to the Chychrun at the blue line. He skated alone toward the slot and beat Dobes for the unassisted score.

Montreal jumped ahead in the second period. Less than three minutes after Lindgren’s departure, Caufield equalized after finding open space near the left post and burying a diagonal pass from Juraj Slafkovsky as Thompson could not slide over in time.

Anderson gave the Habs the lead with 6:38 left in the second, getting a breakaway chance after Rasmus Sandin whiffed with the puck near the Montreal blue line.

The Capitals tied it early in the third thanks to another defensive miscue. Washington’s Ethen Frank, playing in his first NHL game, beat the Habs down the rink to prevent an icing call and set up Eller.

Lindgren was hurt when Suzuki collided with him after being checked by the Capitals’ Brandon Duhaime. Washington pulled Lindgren shortly after the collision and later ruled him out with an upper-body injury. Lindgren had stopped all nine shots he faced before exiting.

–Field Level Media