Capitals 8, Canadiens 4: Montreal Searching for Its Game

Last night’s 8–4 loss for the Montréal Canadiens to the Washington Capitals was the latest chapter in the Alex Ovechkin story. At least, that’s how it felt at Montreal’s Bell Centre. Ovechkin showed up like an icon, determined to write another chapter of NHL history in permanent ink. The Canadiens were trying to keep pace, but every time they made a dent, the Capitals answered. Still, give Montreal credit.

The Habs worked hard to be a team that hangs in. Brendan Gallagher fought like he always does, Mike Matheson jumped into plays to spark something, and Nick Suzuki took whatever space he could find. It wasn’t enough, but it also wasn’t for lack of a work ethic.

The Final Score Doesn’t Tell the Canadiens’ Game Story

The frustrating part for the Canadiens is how close this game kept getting before it blew apart. Montreal clawed back to 1-1, then 3-2, then 4-3, then 5-4. Each time, the fans caught the comeback and expected the momentum to change. There’s a lot of belief in Montreal, but this is still a young team absorbing NHL lessons.

In the end, the Capitals had too many free looks, too much room, too many chances to take over the game. They did just that. By the time Ovechkin scored his second and then got the empty-netter for his hat trick, Montreal’s night had turned into a lesson in what happens when you leave too many doors open against one of the greatest scorers the sport has ever known.

Key Points for the Canadiens

Key Point 1. The Canadiens’ One Positive? The Power Play Showed Up. Brendan Gallagher and Mike Matheson each scored with the man advantage, and both looked sharp doing it. For a team searching for confidence, that’s something.

Key Point 2. The Habs’ Defensive Structure Fell Apart Again. The Canadiens gave up too many odd-man rushes, blown coverages, and wide-open slot chances. You can’t ask Sam Montembeault or Jakub Dobes to bail out that many breakdowns.

Key Point 3. Montreal’s Pushbacks Were Real, Just Not Sustainable. Every time the game looked like it was going to become a blowout, Montreal pulled it back in. But four comebacks in one game is too big a mountain to climb when the other team has Ovechkin adding to his all-time NHL goal-scoring record.

A Final Canadiens Thought

The Canadiens are working hard but lacking control. There’s a fix in playing sound and straightforward hockey. This is a good team surviving some chaos, but right now, they’re giving too many games away.