Capitals, Canadiens seeking rhythm in season of high expectations 

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens are only seven games into their respective seasons, so it’s understandable that they are still working to find the level they’ll need to get to if they want their meet their lofty expectations.

As the Capitals and Canadiens headed to the third period tied on Wednesday, though, it felt like each was searching for something to build on. Washington found it first, with Justin Holl and Alex Tuch scoring goals 4:36 apart before holding on for a 5-4 victory at Capital One Arena.

After losing their previous two games, the Capitals (4-3-0) might have needed that third period a little more than the Canadiens (3-3-1), who had won their previous two games in shootouts. There’s still a lot of work ahead for both, though.

“It's a long season and it's hard, and your opponent has a lot to say, but we've got to get to that third period much more often,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “That's sort of the blueprint.”

This was a game that demonstrated what the Capitals believed they were capable of after retooling their roster during the offseason. After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, they added two three-time 30-goal scorers in Tuch and Jordan Kyrou and each played a big role Wednesday with Tuch scoring twice and Kyrou getting a goal and an assist.

“I think sky is the limit for this team,” Tuch said. “We’ve got a really talented group. It just comes to hard work and determination now.”

The Canadiens also showed flashes of their capabilities with forward Josh Anderson scoring twice and defenseman Lane Hutson, who was playing against his younger brother, Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson, for the first time, getting a goal and an assist. But consistency in their play, and consistency in the results, remain ongoing quests.

“I feel like, overall, we’re playing some pretty good hockey,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “I think we’re struggling at getting rewarded for the work I think we’re putting in, but it’s OK. We are where we are. We’re going to keep pushing.”

The Canadiens raised the bar by reaching the Eastern Conference Final last season before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. They’re learning, though, that it’s not always easy to pick up in a new season where you left off at the end of the previous one.

Goalie Jakub Dobes (1-2-1, 4.63 goals-against average, .841 save percentage), who was one of the Canadiens’ playoff heroes last season, has allowed at least five goals in each of his past three starts since a 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Canadiens’ season opener. Fortunately, Jacob Fowler (2-1-0, 1.91 GAA, .906 save percentage) has provided some stability in net while Dobes has struggled.

Montreal’s depth has been tested, though, with forwards Ivan Demidov (lower body), Oliver Kapanen (lower body) and defensemen Mike Matheson (lower body) and Florian Xhekaj (undisclosed) sidelined.

“What we’re trying to do every game is keep building as a group,” Montreal captain Nick Suzuki said. “I think it’s slowly gotten better and better. Five-on-five has been a big topic, and I thought we’ve improved. So, if special teams goes our way a little bit more, I think we could move on.”

Special teams again was an issue for Montreal on Wednesday. Although Suzuki scored a 6-on-4 goal with 1:39 remaining to bring the Canadiens within 5-4, their power play, which is now 3-for-23 (13 percent), also gave up a short-handed goal to Tuch on a 2-on-1 that gave the Capitals 3-2 lead at 6:16 of the second period.

And their penalty kill allowed, essentially, two power-play goals in the first period with Kyrou tying the score at 1-1 at 7:56, two seconds after a man-advantage expired, and Ivan Miroshnichenko scoring when his pass deflected in off Anderson to tie it at 2-2 at 19:34.

“I thought we played a good road game tonight,” Anderson said. “Obviously, tough couple of bounces, but overall, we’re still trying to work on things -- the little details in our game that are going to allow us to, you know, come out of this.”

Washington has similarly been dealing with health issues with forward Pierre-Luc Dubois (illness) and defensemen Matt Roy (lower body) and Rasmus Sandin (ACL surgery) out. 

These past four games without Dubois have provided another reminder of his importance as the Capitals top-line center who is usually matched against opponent’s top lines. Dubois being limited to 29 games last season because of injuries played a significant role in them missing the playoffs.

A reshaped top line with Tuch and Kyrou playing with Dylan Strome proved pivotal in the victory Wednesday. It also helped that Holl scored for the second straight game after being called up Monday to try to help fill the void while Roy is out.

Holl’s floating wrist shot from the right point sailed past Alex Ovechkin’s deflection attempt and Ilya Protas’ screen before going in off Dobes’ left arm to snap a 3-3 tie at 12:29 of the third period. Tuch followed by scoring his second of the night from the slot to make it 5-3 at 17:05.

“I thought in the third period we really dialed it in,” Kyrou said. “We all made the simple plays, and each line was just going out there and doing their job and that’s how we won the game.”

The key for the Capitals now is to do it again when they host the New Jersey Devils for the second game of this five-game homestand on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; MNMT, MSGSN, NHLN, SNP, SNO, SNE).

“If we're going to be a good team in this league and a team that competes with the best teams in the League, we're going to have to find a way to make sure that consistently our game looks like that,” Carbery said. “Home, road, guys out with injury, it doesn't matter.”