What happens if Canadiens lose, win or tie vs Capitals tonight? Montreal plays crucial Game 5 in Washington

Game 5 of the NHL first-round playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals will be played on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The Caps lead the series 3-1 and have the chance to close it out at home, which would mark their first series-clinching playoff win on home ice in a decade.

The series remains wide open after Game 4, where Washington secured a 5-2 win in Montreal thanks to a third-period comeback led by goals from Tom Wilson and Brandon Duhaime. The Canadiens had taken the lead with power-play goals from Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield but were unable to hold on to their advantage.

Washington and Montreal are set for an intense battle on the ice. Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will look to continue his run as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer after surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s record. Montreal, on the other hand, will try to spoil the D.C. franchise’s plans for a home victory. The game presents three possible outcomes that are worth breaking down.

What happens if the Canadiens lose vs the Capitals?

If the Canadiens lose to the Capitals in Game 5, they will be eliminated from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, failing to advance to the second round after three years without making the postseason. The last time they advanced to the next round was in the 2020-21 NHL season.

NHL legend Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period in Game One of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

What happens if the Canadiens win vs the Capitals?

If the Canadiens win Game 5, the series against the Capitals will head to a Game 6, set for Friday, May 2, at the Bell Centre in Montreal. To keep their hopes of advancing alive, they would also need to win that game and force a decisive Game 7, which would be played on Sunday, May 4, back in Washington.

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What happens if the Canadiens and the Capitals tie?

If the Canadiens and the Capitals tie, they will play a sudden death overtime, as is customary for Stanley Cup Playoff games that are tied at the end of regulation time. In this case, there will be a 15-minute intermission, followed by overtime periods of 20 minutes, with teams switching ends at the start of each. The first team to score in overtime wins the game.