Washington visits Montreal with 2-0 series lead
Washington Capitals (51-22-9, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (40-31-11, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Capitals -128, Canadiens +108; over/under is 5.5
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NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Capitals lead series 2-0
BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Capitals visit the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-0 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the sixth time this season. The Capitals won 3-1 in the previous meeting. Connor McMichael led the Capitals with two goals.
Montreal is 40-31-11 overall and 23-12-6 in home games. The Canadiens are third in the league with 322 total penalties (averaging 3.9 per game).
Washington has a 25-13-3 record in road games and a 51-22-9 record overall. The Capitals have a 50-2-6 record in games they score at least three goals.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has scored 30 goals with 59 assists for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson has one goal and five assists over the past 10 games.
Dylan Strome has 29 goals and 53 assists for the Capitals. Alexander Ovechkin has scored eight goals with three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 5-2-3, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.1 assists, 3.9 penalties and 9.2 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game.
Capitals: 5-5-0, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.6 assists, five penalties and 17.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed.
Capitals: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canadiens: Potential First-Round Pick
As Forrest Gump would say, a draft is a bit like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're going to get, especially when you're picking mid-round like the Montreal Canadiens will be this time around. Scouts' job becomes that much harder when so many teams get to choose before you even have one selection. It's impossible to know who will still be on the board or who will be long gone (aside from the select few who are at the very top of the class). By the time the Canadiens take to the figurative podium since the draft is held remotely this season, many of their favourites might already been picked and while I'm not suggesting drafting for need, but if the best player available when they finally get to choose, happens to be either a promising center or a promising right-shot defenseman, I don't think many would complain. A prospect that would fit the latter option is Logan Hensler, a 6-foot-2 blueliner who weighs in at 197. Advertisement Canadiens: Kypreos Reveals Trade Target Canadiens: Martin St-Louis Finished Third In The Jack Adams Trophy Voting Canadiens: Potential First Round Pick - Radim Mrtka After spending a couple of seasons with the US National Team Development program, the towering blueliner joined the University of Wisconsin in the NCAA. Adapting to play against older and bigger players hasn't been easy for the youngster, who has only produced 12 points in 32 games, down from 32 points in 61 games in his previous season with the USNTDP. Still, he projects as a top-four defenseman who's strong with good skating abilities and uses his big frame to steer opponents away from danger zones defensively and box them out. There's no denying the Canadiens could use some sight and strength on the blueline, even if it means sacrificing a bit of attack in the process. In a depth role at the World Junior Championship, he could only manage a single point in seven games as the USA skated to the gold medal. Now that he's got more experience under his belt, he should play a more prominent role in the future. Advertisement He met with the Canadiens' organization at the Combine in Buffalo. He told TVA Sports' Anthony Martineau that he could reach another level offensively but preferred to focus on his defense this year. He models his game after Ottawa Senators' blueliner Jake Sanderson and wants to put on weight this Summer to improve his physical game. The prospect also told TVA Sports that David Reinbacher is an excellent right-shot defenseman just like him and that he doesn't fear the competition with him or anyone else. Big talk for the youngster, but confidence is a must in this business, and it should serve him well. Photo credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story. Advertisement Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @ and Threads @karinehains. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
The road to the Stanley Cup Final: Ranking the 14 playoff series that got us here
We're two games into a Stanley Cup Final that already seems like it could be headed for classic status. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's look back at the 14 other matchups that brought us here, with our annual ranking of every series that led to the final. All in all, it's been a mixed bag of a postseason. We avoided having even one sweep, which is impressive. We also had half the series end in five games, which generally isn't impressive. It's a top-heavy list, but having gone through it all, I'm not sure we can complain about what the hockey gods served up. Let's start at the bottom and work our way up. Expectations: An epic battle for Eastern supremacy, with the red-hot Hurricanes finally facing a true contender. Hey, at least this time it won't be a sweep, right? What we got: A series where, by the end, we were disappointed we didn't get a sweep. Overtimes: None. Mandatory controversy: We had a few, including Shayne Gostisbehere shooting a puck at Brad Marchand in Game 1. But maybe the most memorable moment from a not-very-memorable series came when it was over: Paul Maurice appearing to lecture an annoyed Rod Brind'Amour about handshake-line etiquette. Advertisement Defining moment: Brind'Amour making the gutsy call to bench Frederik Andersen after two shaky performances, only to watch Pyotr Kochetkov get shelled in a Game 3 loss that basically ended the series. Bottom line: We've seen worse series over the years, but given how good this should have been, I'm not sure there have been many bigger letdowns. Expectations: A relatively quick and easy Carolina win over the depleted Devils. What we got: A relatively quick and easy Carolina win over the depleted Devils. Overtimes: Two, with the teams splitting double-OT decisions that included the series-ending Game 5. Mandatory controversy: Timo Meier briefly earned a rare goaltender interference major for trucking Andersen in Game 4, only to have it rescinded on replay review. Andersen ended up leaving the game, and Brind'Amour was not happy. Defining moment: We pretty much have to go with Sebastian Aho's series winner on the power play in OT. Bottom line: Pretty much what we expected, although Game 5 was a wild ride that elevated the series just enough to keep it out of the running for the bottom of the rankings. Expectations: The consensus was that the Hurricanes would win, maybe even convincingly. But the Capitals had been surprising us all season, so maybe they'd do it again with a classic series. What we got: The former, unfortunately. Overtimes: One, in the opener, that was won by Jaccob Slavin's seeing-eye shot. Mandatory controversy: Was there one? I'm not even sure. Do stolen mouth guards count? Defining moment: We'll go with Andrei Svechnikov's series winner, which wasn't pretty but fit the Hurricanes' 'just get it on net' ethos. Bottom line: This was the round that legitimately got the 'Wait, are the Hurricanes boring or just effective?' discussion going, which is rarely a good sign of a fascinating series. I'm pretty sure they're also the only team to ever take up all three spots at the bottom of a best-series list, so … congrats? Advertisement Expectations: A nice warmup for Vegas as it looked to get back into championship form. What we got: A tougher series than most were expecting, with the underdog Wild giving the Golden Knights just about all they could handle. Overtimes: Two, coming back-to-back in games 4 and 5, with the Golden Knights winning both. Switch even one of those results and we would have been in serious upset territory. Mandatory controversy: Late in Game 5, the Wild scored what appeared to be the potential winner before a double review eventually wiped it out. Defining moment: I'm going with Brett Howden's overtime winner in that crucial Game 5, which gets bonus points for being the final play of Marc-Andre Fleury's 21-season career. Bottom line: A lot of us were sleeping on this one heading in, but it delivered some compelling opening-round drama. Expectations: The star-studded rematch from last year's conference final, featuring an Oilers team seeking Stanley Cup redemption facing a Stars team that had gone all in on getting over the third-round hump. What we got: One truly good period from the Stars, which was enough to win Game 1 but not enough to make this a competitive series. Overtimes: None. And thanks to empty-netters, all five games ended up being decided by three goals or more. Mandatory controversy: Darnell Nurse's slash on Roope Hintz didn't lead to a suspension, but it did lead to all sorts of conspiracy theories about the Stars forward having faked an injury, right up until he had to miss the crucial Game 4. Defining moment: Two, both from Game 5. First, Pete DeBoer's panic move that saw him yank Jake Oettinger out of an elimination game. Second, Connor McDavid's breakaway dagger against backup Casey DeSmith to snuff out any comeback momentum. Bottom line: Like the Hurricanes and Panthers, this one should have been a classic but ended up as a dud. In related news, I'm starting to think Mikko Rantanen might not be a sure thing for the Conn Smythe anymore. Expectations: The Battle of Ontario, playoff edition, finally revived after more than two decades. Advertisement What we got: A pretty good series and a reminder that modern rivalries aren't what they used to be. 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No complaints. Expectations: It was a first-round rematch for the fourth year running, but this time the Kings had home ice to go with the best home record in the league. If they were ever going to show they could hang with the Oilers, this was their chance. What we got: They could not, in fact, hang with the Oilers. Overtimes: One, in Game 4, a crucial Oilers comeback that tied the series. Mandatory controversy: That OT goal came on a power play thanks to a tripping call, which you don't often see in sudden death. We also got a puck-over-glass controversy, because those are always fun. Defining moment: It's an easy call for this series — the disastrous Jim Hiller challenge in Game 3 that served as the turning point for the game, the series and potentially even the entire postseason. You know a challenge is bad when nobody is even pretending to do the whole 'nobody understands goalie interference' schtick. Advertisement Bottom line: The loss led to big changes in the Kings front office and a team questioning where it goes from here. And honestly, if we're not going to get an existential crisis or two out of the first round, what's even the point? Expectations: A rematch from 2023, pitting a desperate Leafs team on the verge of finally quieting the doubters against the reigning champs. What we got: The ultra-rare seven-game series that still manages to feel like a blowout. Overtimes: One, coming in Game 3. The Leafs had a chance to grab a 3-0 stranglehold on the series, but Marchand had other ideas. Mandatory controversy: Plenty, but none bigger than Sam Bennett taking Anthony Stolarz out of the series with an elbow to the head in Game 1. This was a big deal right up until the next day when Maurice ordered everyone to stop talking about it, and we did. Defining moment: Toronto fans booing and tossing jerseys on the ice while the Panthers turned the biggest Leafs game in decades into an embarrassingly easy blowout win. Oh, wait, that happened twice. Bottom line: You have to be good to beat the champs, and the Leafs just couldn't get close to that level when the series was on the line. Expectations: The latest installment of the Battle of Florida was set up to be the best one yet, with most of the experts thinking Tampa Bay would reclaim control. What we got: A surprisingly quick and easy Florida win. Overtimes: None. Mandatory controversy: Plenty of ugly hits, including suspensions for Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Hagel (but not Matthew Tkachuk). Even the coaches got into it. If you're looking for the playoff series with the most bad blood, this was it by a mile. 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We could go with Rantanen's domination in the opener, or a pair of Connor Hellebuyck home shutouts between continued road struggles, or Mikael Granlund's hat trick in Game 4. But I think the moment we'll remember most from the series actually came in a losing cause: Mark Scheifele's return to the lineup after his father died, and the goal he scored to give the Jets a lead they couldn't hold. Bottom line: This series didn't miss much, aside from a Game 7. Expectations: A conference-final-worthy showdown between two legitimate Cup contenders, with sky-high hopes for an absolute classic. What we got: Somehow, a series that blew away even our wildly high expectations. Overtimes: Two, with the Stars winning games 2 and 3. Mandatory controversy: Every postseason needs one series to serve as the lightning rod for complaints about the playoff format, and this was it. We also got a late call on Jack Drury that led to the Game 7 winner, which Colorado fans did not appreciate. Defining moment: The Mikko Rantanen Game, featuring arguably the best period any player has ever had in the postseason ever. Bottom line: The hockey was ridiculously good, the drama was off-the-charts and the Rantanen factor was irresistible. In any other year, this series is No. 1 by such a large margin that it almost makes the entire post feel pointless. But not this year. Expectations: The Blues were a reasonably fun story with some long-shot upset potential, and they'd give the Presidents' Trophy winners just enough of a fight to make the series worth watching before quietly making their exit. Advertisement What we got: A combination of a Jets meltdown and Blues defiance that came as close as you can possibly come to an upset before … well, you know. Overtimes: Just one, but it was double-overtime in Game 7. Mandatory controversy: We had the coaches feuding over Scheifele's injury, a pregame scolding from the league and even a malfunctioning airplane. 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New York Times
5 hours ago
- New York Times
Stanley Cup Final observations: Bennett's price tag, McDavid's ‘walk-on-water' moment and more
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There is never a bad time to have an offensive explosion during the Stanley Cup playoffs, but Sam Bennett's timing this spring has been impeccable. The Florida Panthers center is having a serious glow up with free agency on the horizon July 1. Bennett leads all playoff scorers with 13 goals, including three already during the Cup Final, and sits second with 58 shots on goal. He's played well enough to put himself in serious consideration for the Conn Smythe Trophy and could become the first NHL player in history to hit the open market immediately after being crowned the league's playoff MVP. Advertisement Since the Conn Smythe was first awarded in 1964-65, no winner has ever switched teams before the start of the next season. While Bennett is believed to have strong interest in signing a new deal with the Panthers, the unprecedented nature of his situation could lead to a difficult business decision in the next few weeks. The 28-year-old is fresh off his first career 50-point regular season but has shown tremendous value in the playoffs that will see him paid well beyond your typical 50-point producer. There is virtually no precedent for this kind of postseason performance by a pending unrestricted free agent. Marian Gaborik had a playoff-leading 14 goals for the Los Angeles Kings in 2014 after being acquired at the trade deadline and wound up signing a seven-year extension rather than testing the open market following a Cup win, while Bennett's teammate Sam Reinhart got a new eight-year deal with the Panthers last July 1 after scoring 10 goals during their championship run. However, neither of those players were part of the Conn Smythe discussion. Bennett finds himself there today with 19 points in 19 games — two more than any other Panthers player. His hard-area play around the opposing goal crease and surge in production will have suitors lining up if the Panthers don't ink him to an extension once this series is over. Connor McDavid continues to keep company with the all-time legends. With five assists in two games to open this series, the Edmonton Oilers captain is up to 16 points in nine career games played during the Stanley Cup Final — giving him a rate of 1.78 points per game, the second best all-time mark in NHL history, between Mario Lemieux (2.11) and Wayne Gretzky (1.71) among players to appear in multiple finals. Talk about rarified air. The assist McDavid dished out to Leon Draisaitl in the first period of Game 2 on Friday was the kind of special play kids spent the weekend trying to mimic in their driveways. Circling down through the heart of the offensive zone, McDavid leapt around three-time Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov before pulling the puck to the inside while eluding Aaron Ekblad's attempted stick sweep and sliding it over to Draisaitl in one fluid motion. ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING PLAY FROM MCDAVID TO SET UP DRAISAITL 🤢 OILERS LEAD AGAIN 😮💨 — Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) June 7, 2025 Asked Sunday how he pulled that off, McDavid struggled for an answer before Draisaitl jumped in with an assist of his own: 'You can't learn that. Let me answer it for you. I'll answer it for him.' All Ekblad could do was tip his hat as well. 'He's got multiple options so that's the biggest challenge, right?' the Panthers defenseman told reporters. 'You're trying to block a shot, you're trying to block a low pass, a backdoor pass, and a walk-on-water toe drag. Advertisement 'So, yeah, McJesus.' McDavid's next point in the Cup Final will move him past a group that includes Patrick Kane for career production in the NHL's championship series. He sits two points back of Evgeni Malkin, three behind Lemieux and trails Sidney Crosby, among others, by four. It wouldn't be surprising to see McDavid leapfrog them all before the end of this series. The double off days couldn't come at a better time after a sensational opening two games in the Stanley Cup Final. McDavid has played the equivalent of three games already thanks to a pair of overtime affairs. But perhaps it's Sergei Bobrovsky who benefits the most from the double off days — not just before Game 3, but again ahead of Game 4. The Panthers over the past number of years have always kept a close eye on Bobrovsky's energy levels. His 54 games in the regular season and 19 playoff starts puts him at 73 for the season. Bobrovsky, though, actually seems to be getting better in his old age. Remember when people pointed to his contract as one of the worst in the league? Three straight runs to the Cup Final with 'Bob' at the heart of it has erased that narrative, to be sure. So how has he been able to rediscover the best version of himself the past few years? 'I think it goes hand in hand with a few things,' Roberto Luongo, special adviser to the GM in Florida, who is also in charge of the Panthers' Goaltending Excellence Department, told The Athletic earlier in these playoffs. 'First of all, when we brought Mo (head coach Paul Maurice) in and changed our system, it was a better defensive system for the goalies. The first few years Bob was here, he was left on an island a little bit. And sometimes as a goalie, when you know you'll be facing a lot of high-danger shots every night and backdoor chances, it kind of changes the way you play a little bit. Less aggressive. Now you're cheating. You're not playing the shooter as much. Advertisement 'Once Mo came in, we stabilized that. It gave him more confidence. And now when those things happened, which they do, he has more confidence that he can make those saves.' Luongo also thinks Bobrovsky feels more at home in his surroundings. 'I also think he's in a better place mentally as far as just being more comfortable in Florida and now having a relationship with our goalie coach after a few years, the trust that they built,' Luongo said. 'So it all kind of came together at the right time.' Paul Maurice is in the final days of his old contract before commencing a well-deserved, five-year extension next season — a deal he signed in the fall. Maurice, by the way, is currently at 999 career NHL head-coaching wins, including regular season and playoffs. So he's gunning for win No. 1,000 this week. His counterpart, Kris Knoblauch, meanwhile, is entering the final season of this three-year contract next season. Talk about strengthening his leverage for his second NHL deal. Aside from Knoblauch, other coaches entering the final year of their contracts are Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ryan Huska with the Calgary Flames and Lindy Ruff with the Buffalo Sabres. My sense is both Cooper and Huska should have extensions in hand before next season begins. The Panthers are one road win away from tying the NHL postseason record of 10, held by several teams, including the 2019 St. Louis Blues and 2012 Los Angeles Kings. That championship Kings team, which began each series on the road and began each series with a 3-0 series lead, went 10-1 overall. 'We were a team that was under pressure since Game 1 of the regular season,' former Kings captain Dustin Brown told The Athletic, referring to the Kings barely making the playoffs as No. 8 seeds that year. 'So we were comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Pair that with depth and love for one another and you have a team that can find ways to win on the road when it mattered most. 'Also helps when you're team tough. Kings were that, and Panthers are now, too.' Of all the stats we might highlight to underline how special this series has been, how about these two? There have been four total lead changes already in two games — just the second time in the past 42 years that's happened — and the Oilers and Panthers have been separated by one goal or less for all but 77 seconds played so far. Should Monday's Game 3 require overtime, it will be the first time since the 1951 Cup Final between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens in which overtime decided the first three games of the championship series. (Photo of Sergei Bobrovsky and Sam Bennett: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
