In a thrilling NHL showdown, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens secured an important 6-3 victory in Game 3 of their first-round series in the Eastern Conference. Fueled by a strong third-period surge, the Canadiens scored three consecutive goals to seize control of the game and cut their best-of-seven series deficit to 2-1. Game 4 is set to take place once again in Montreal on Sunday.
The momentum shifted when Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault, who had stopped 11 of the 13 shots he faced, exited the game at 11:39 of the second period. Jakub Dobes came in as his replacement, making seven saves on eight shots to help secure the win. Coach Martin St. Louis did not provide an immediate update on Montembeault’s condition or the reason for his departure.
Following the loss, Ovechkin acknowledged the tough environment and the Canadiens’ resilience. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,“ Ovechkin said, according to NHL.com. “We knew they were going to come out hard.” His brief but telling comment reflected the Capitals’ awareness of the challenge they face on the road.
Compounding Washington’s difficulties, goaltender Logan Thompson — who had made 30 saves — was forced to leave the game due to injury. Capitals coach Spencer Carbery stated he had yet to consult with the medical staff and promised an update regarding Thompson’s status at a later time.
Capitals prepare for Canadiens’ continued resistance
Coach Carbery made it clear that despite the Capitals’ early series lead, they cannot expect an easy path to victory. “There’s no way the Montreal Canadiens are going to go quietly into the night just because we’re up 2-0 and won two games at home,” Carbery emphasized. “We all knew that and also know that it’s going to take our absolute best from the Washington Capitals to win the series. That’s just a fact.”
Carbery was candid about his team’s performance, admitting they fell short of the necessary intensity in Game 3. “We weren’t at our best tonight, and we need to get to that level in Game 4, Game 5, and beyond in order to win the series,“ he concluded.