Alex Tuch scored twice – scoring a shorthanded goal in the second period and the game-winner in the third – with deceptive shots to help the Caps halt a brief two-game slide with a hard fought 5-4 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, in the opener of a five-game homestand at Capital One Arena.
Coming off a pair of losses in which they were all even in the third period but couldn’t scrape out a point, the Capitals got right on Wednesday night against the Habs. Washington’s first two periods were a bit underwhelming at times at 5-on-5, but their special teams play enabled them to enter the third all even at 3-3.
Wednesday’s third-period performance wasn’t perfect, but it was much more buttoned down than in Sunday’s setback to Seattle and Tuesday’s loss to the Canes in Carolina. The Caps generated some offensive zone shifts and held onto pucks, put them in good places and played a more detailed final frame than in the previous two contests.
“I tried to – without applying too much pressure to our group – explained to them, the third period of this game, it's important,” says Caps coach Spencer Carbery. “This is an important 20 minutes for our team, and we need to – as a group – commit to doing certain things. And I thought our guys did a tremendous job with that.
“We get a few chances early, but you just could feel the way that that period went was everything was as it should be. Pucks were going to the right spot, line changes were good. There weren't those moments or shifts where we're putting our the next line or the next [defense] pair in a difficult spot. I thought we just played a really clean, solid, smart third period. Whether we scored or didn't, that's how it needed to look for our group.”
And it did.
When Justin Holl snapped that 3-3 tie with his second goal in as many games since joining the Caps at 12:29 of the third period, the Caps had their second lead of the night, and not only would they not relinquish that lead, they built on it.
Holl became the first Caps’ defenseman to score in each of his first two games with the team, and he did the same when he joined the Maple Leafs in 2017-18.
“I guess when you’re hot, you’re hot,” says Holl. “But it’s good to contribute and good to get the win.”
Tuch struck for his second goal of the game with 2:55 left in the third, abruptly whirling and firing a “Spanish Inquisition” shot; one that no one expected at that moment. It beat Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes, and it turned out to be the game-winner because Montreal’s Nick Suzuki scored a 6-on-4 power-play goal with 1:39 left in regulation.
Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves to pick up his first win of the season, biting the hand that once fed him. Lindgren’s victory is the 68th of his Capitals career, and he is now in sole possession of seventh place on Washington’s all-time wins list, moving past Pat Riggin (67).
Montreal jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Josh Anderson goal at 4:29 of the first period. After Jordan Kyrou lost the handle and turned it over deep in Washington territory, the Caps became too puck-focused, leaving Anderson all alone at the top of the paint, and he chipped a shot to the shelf after taking a feed from Alex Newhook from below the goal line.
Kyrou himself got that one back, two seconds after the Caps failed to convert on their first power play opportunity of the contest. As the man advantage expired, Cole Hutson carried back into Montreal ice and left the puck for Kyrou, who found some space in the slot. From there, Kyrou ripped a laser of a shot that beat Jakub Dobes on the stick side, squaring the score at 1-1 at 7:56 of the first.
It was Kyrou’s seventh goal in 11 career games against the Canadiens, and it was redemption for his earlier miscue.
“It feels good just to get one back for the boys, and it feels good just to tie it up,” he says.
Montreal’s Lane Hutson scored on a shot similar to Kyrou’s, snapping a shot over Lindgren from the slot in the midst of a Washington line change at 11:15 of the first.
In the final minute of the frame, the Caps drew even when Ivan Miroshnichenko scored a power-play goal on a fortuitous bounce. The Russian winger tried to thread a feed from the right circle to Tuch at the back door, but the puck hit Anderson’s stick and went in, tying the game at 19:34.
Tuch gave the Caps a 3-2 lead with an unassisted shorthanded goal in the front half of the middle frame. Taking advantage of a Montreal mishandle high in the Washington zone, Tuch then tore off on a 2-on-1, carrying down the left side with Aliaksei Protas riding shotgun. While looking directly at Protas, Tuch fired a shot past Dobes from the top of the left circle, making it 3-2 at 6:16.
“When you play hockey, you know where the net is at all times – especially in the [offensive] zone – just growing up, practicing shooting and everything,” says Tuch. “I think anyone in this locker room doesn't really have to look at the net.
“I knew where I wanted to shoot; I'm more looking to see where the defenseman is, so I make sure I get that puck through without it getting blocked. Especially with a team that's got a couple guys that like to lay down, I have to make sure I get that I get that off in time. And then also, if they come over to me, I'm able to slide it through. So, if they have too late of a slide or too early of a slide, I can make a different play. But being able to get inside and get that shot away was my main goal.”
Tuch’s main goal was a big goal, giving the Caps their first lead of the night. And when they got the lead back in the third, they made sure to lock it down.
“Montreal is a tough team to play, and I thought we worked extremely hard tonight,” says Lindgren. “And you have to, against those guys to come out on the on the winning side. Carbs said it postgame; I thought our third period was excellent. We scored some big goals at big times, and just an excellent win.”
And while the Caps were able to snap their two-game slide, the Habs’ modest two-game winning run came to an end on Wednesday. Dobes was downcast afterwards; he suffered his third straight setback on Wednesday, and he has been dented for five or more goals in each of those three starts.
“I feel like I didn’t really get any momentum for the guys,” rues Dobes. “We were just chasing the game, and I need to be better as a teammate and as a goalie. It sucks right now, yeah.
“I felt pretty good in some situations, but still gave up the five goals, and the guys scored four. I just need to save a couple more for the guys.”
