Latest news with #JurajSlafkovsky
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Montreal Canadiens light up Bell Centre with commanding Game 3 victory over Washington Capitals
Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals (via Getty Images) The Montreal Canadiens put on a show to remember in front of a packed Bell Centre audience, posting six goals in a thrilling 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference First Round playoff series. The enthusiastic fans, having their home playoff game in 2017, made the atmosphere loud as it fueled the Montreal Canadiens for a much-desired victory. Even though the Washington Capitals were leading the best-of-seven series 2-1, the spirit in Montreal could not be helped. Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Nick Suzuki share about frenzied playoff energy NHL Game 3 Highlights | Capitals vs. Canadiens - April 25, 2025 Right from the beginning, the din within Bell Centre was ear-shattering. Defenseman Lane Hutson has called it 'crazy', and forward Juraj Slafkovsky agreed, and captain Nick Suzuki described it as 'emotional'. Winger Cole Caufield summed it up as briefly 'energetic', only capturing the spirit of the night when the Montreal Canadiens proceeded to put on an overwhelming show of performance. Forwards Montreal Canadiens players Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky formed the top-scoring trio. Caufield led with 11 shot attempts, ending with a tie-breaking winning goal in the second period late that saw the Canadiens take a 3-2 lead. Slafkovsky added a goal of his own and kept impressing with five shots, motivating teammates and fans in tow. Fights, injuries, and emergency goalie drama add flavor to Game 3 mayhem Game 3 was not lacking in drama. Both starting goalies, Montreal Canadiens' Sam Montembeault and Washington Capitals' Logan Thompson, left the game injured. Montreal's backup, Jakub Dobes, was summoned into emergency duty, entering the game in the middle of the second period and standing firm against heavy pressure. The physicality came to a boil late in the second period when Canadiens forward Josh Anderson and Capitals veteran Tom Wilson fought into the Washington bench, with an official having to break up the melee. Juraj Slafkovsky conceded he was drawn to enter the fray, referring to the incident as 'nuts'. The sold-out Bell Centre crowd, already operating at rock concert-level decibel readings during warmups, reached a fever pitch when defenseman Alexandre Carrier tied the game late in the first period, setting the tone for the Canadiens' relentless effort the rest of the night. Montreal Canadiens seek to gain momentum going into Game 4 Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki praised the team's calm composure after Alex Ovechkin temporarily levelled the score at 3-3 with minutes left in the third period. Rather than faltering, the Canadiens maintained pressure and broke away for the decisive victory. Also read: Montreal Canadiens count on Bell Centre energy to fuel comeback against Washington Capitals The Canadiens and Capitals will then meet again on Sunday during Game 4, as Montreal will try to tie up the series and continue riding the momentum created by the charged atmosphere of their home crowd.
CBC
24-04-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canadiens in 2-0 hole after hard-fought losses: 'Margin of error is so slim'
The Montreal Canadiens know they're close to beating the Washington Capitals, but Juraj Slafkovsky believes anything short of their very best won't be enough. "There's always something lacking. We always talk about today was this, tomorrow it's something," said the visibly upset Canadiens forward. "We just can't have that. We gotta have an almost perfect game to win." Connor McMichael scored twice — including an empty-net goal — as the Capitals hung on for a 3-1 victory in Game 2 at the Capital One Arena on Wednesday night. Martin St. Louis's group fell down 2-0 in their first-round series and now faces a steep climb, needing wins in four of the next five games to advance. "Washington is a really good team. They make it hard to attack. They defend really well," the Canadiens head coach said. "We had pockets where we did attack. We didn't capitalize, but we generated." "The margin of error is so slim." Christian Dvorak opened the scoring after just over a minute into the second period to give Montreal its first lead of the series, but it was short-lived. McMichael and Dylan Strome struck with back-to-back goals a minute apart in the third and fourth minutes. "Just a couple of bad shifts in a row and it cost us," captain Nick Suzuki said. "We need to go home and regroup and really bear down in these next couple of games at home." The Canadiens dropped the series opener 3-2 in overtime despite rallying from a two-goal deficit. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record last month, scored his second of the game in the extra period. Washington dominated the second period Wednesday with an 18-8 shots advantage while imposing the same physical play that propelled them to victory on Monday. For the second game in a row, the Canadiens controlled the third period, outshooting Washington 14-5 in the frame, but Capitals goalie Logan Thompson denied Josh Anderson on a partial breakaway before showing off his reflexes with a pad save on Dvorak's deflection with four minutes remaining. While the Canadiens poured it on in search of an equalizer, struggling winger Patrik Laine didn't see the ice. St. Louis shortened his bench in the third period and Laine — who makes a team-high US$8.7 million — was the only player not to play a shift. That remained the case even when the Canadiens needed just one shot to tie with an extra attacker in the dying minutes. "They're decisions you make as a coach," St. Louis said. "I went with the nine or 10 players who I thought could help the cause." Laine has scored once in his past 11 games. The former 44-goal scorer caught fire at times during the regular season, burying 15 power-play markers to rank fourth in the NHL despite playing 52 games. His wicked one-timer, however, hasn't resulted in a goal in quite some time. It wasn't a factor as the Canadiens went 0-for-2 with the man advantage Wednesday. "The guys that I leaned on in the third, I thought they did a great job," St. Louis said. "As a coach you make those decisions, you have a gut feeling. I felt like the group responded when we shortened the bench. I felt like it gave us a chance." The series shifts to Montreal for Games 3 and 4 at the Bell Centre, where the Canadiens will play before a full house in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Montreal reached the Stanley Cup final in the pandemic-shortened 2021 season. "Everyone in here has got to be better, it starts with me and then everyone else," Slafkovsky said. "We gotta to show a different type of energy, a different type of game Friday at home." There were two other playoff matchups on Wednesday. The L.A. Kings cruised to a 6-2 win and a 2-0 series lead against the Edmonton Oilers, while the Dallas Stars scored a 2-1 overtime win and 2-1 series advantage over the Colorado Avalanche. Targeting Hutson The Washington Capitals have done their best to make Canadiens rookie sensation Lane Hutson uncomfortable. Hutson, a shifty five-foot-nine defenceman, led all rookies with 66 points this season. Capitals forward Andrew Magiapane sucker punched him in a scrum in a chippy Game 1 and the physicality continued in Game 2. Hutson had two assists Monday, but was out of position during Ovechkin's overtime winner and took the blame post-game. "I don't think he should be hard on himself," Guhle said of his partner Wednesday morning. "First playoff experience, guys are trying to run him and take his head off. Probably hasn't really seen that much in his career, especially men coming after him."
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canadiens Hoping To Steal Home Ice Advantage
Feb 6, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) controls the puck as Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard (58) chases in the third period at Capital One Arena. Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images On Monday night, the puck will drop on a Montreal Canadiens playoff hockey game for the first time in four years. The visiting Habs are kicking off the Spring dance by taking on the Eastern Conference champions, the Washington Capitals. They are wearing the underdog tag, which doesn't scare Martin St-Louis, because you still have to play the games. Advertisement Playoffs Primer: Canadiens Vs. Capitals Florian Xhekaj Is Now Part Of An Exclusive Club Canadiens: Preparing For The Capitals' Terrorizing Power Play For St-Louis, the playoffs are sure to help Juraj Slafkovsky play to his identity. When asked where he saw the most significant growth in the former first-overall pick's game this season, the pilot replied: Understanding his biggest asset is his size and his physicality. When that's at the forefront of his game, the rest comes with it. - Martin St-Louis on Juraj Slafkovsky's biggest growth. For the Canadiens to win this series, they will need a significant contribution from their first line. If Slafkovsky is engaged and dialed in physically, Nick Suzuki's and Cole Caufield's jobs become much easier. Advertisement Washington won the season series between the two teams, winning twice and losing once. That loss came after the Canadiens had turned a corner and become a much more confident team. After a few tough seasons injury-wise, it looked like the 2024-25 campaign would be more of the same for the Habs when Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher went down to knee injuries in a preseason game. Still, thankfully for St-Louis' men, those and Kaiden Guhle's skate cut were the most significant injuries of the season. The Canadiens are ready to go on Monday and have no significant injuries, while it looks like the Capitals will be without Aliaksei Protas at least to start the series. The fourth-year center had a coming-out party this season with 66 points in 76 games, playing a significant part in Washington's offense. However, he suffered a skate cut at the start of April and only started skating again on Sunday. There has also been no confirmation about goaltender Logan Thompson's availability, and not having your number one goaltender in the playoffs is hardly a comfortable position to be in. Advertisement There's no uncertainty on the Canadiens' net as Samuel Montembeau will get the nod. The netminder has played six times against the first-round foe and has a 2-3-0 record against them, alongside a 3.49 goals-against average and a .893 SP. Thompson is 1-0-1 against the Canadiens with a 3.04 GAA and a .889 SP, while Lindgren, a former Hab, is 3-1-0 against them with a 2.51 GAA and a .899 SP. Goaltenders Clay Stevenson and Hunter Sheppard have each played a game for the Caps this season, with the former allowing five goals and the latter seven. One can safely assume Carbery would likely prefer not to go there. Throughout the season series, Cole Caufield has been the Canadiens' top scorer with five points in three games, followed by Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson, who both have four. Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Christian Dvorak, David Savard, Josh Anderson, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Kaiden Guhle had a single point while everyone else was kept off the scoresheet. Needless to say, the Habs will need to spread the offense around if they want to win. Advertisement The attack was much more spread out for Washington, with gritty winger Tom Wilson and youngster Protas leading the way with four points apiece in three games. Ovechkin, center Dylan Strome, and right winger Taylor Raddysh all had three points, but the captain did it in two games, missing one of the duels. Connor McMichael, Pierre-Luc Dubois, John Carlson, Jacob Chychrun, and Trevor Van Riemsdyk all scored two points in the season series, demonstrating that the Capitals have more offensive contributors. St. Louis has already announced his lineup, and there will be no change from the end of the season. In other words, there's still no room for Arber Xhekaj on the blueline. With Wilson playing for the Caps, it's an interesting decision. The puck drop is set for 7:00 PM and this is one match-up you won't want to miss… 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.
USA Today
21-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NHL Playoffs: Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals odds, picks and predictions
NHL Playoffs: Montreal Canadiens at Washington Capitals odds, picks and predictions The Montreal Canadiens and the Washington Capitals open an Eastern Conference best-of-7 first-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Monday. Puck drop from Capital One Arena is set for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NHL odds around the Canadiens vs. Capitals odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions. Regular-season series: Capitals won 2-1 The Capitals wrapped up the regular season with an impressive 51-22-9 record and 111 points -- but considering the pace they set early on, it's surprising they didn't come away with the Presidents' Trophy. Some of that dip may be tied to the attention surrounding LW Alexander Ovechkin's pursuit of history, which seemed to coincide with a late season slump. While the defense had its lapses, Washington's goaltending was elite through much of the year, posting just 2.02 goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5. However, post-Four Nations break, that strength faded -- the team allowed 3.08 GA/60 over its final 27 games, with a combined save percentage of just .875. As the playoffs begin, Washington is focused on avoiding a repeat of 2010, when it was upset by the eighth-seeded Canadiens in a heartbreaking 7-game series. It'll need sharper play between the pipes to make a deeper run this time around. The Canadiens have been in must-win mode for the entire second half of the season, picking up 54 points since Jan. 1 to sneak into the playoffs. They finished 40-31-11 after edging out the Hurricanes Wednesday, a win they needed after dropping 3 straight with a chance to clinch earlier. While some believe the momentum may have faded at the worst time, Montreal is back in the postseason for the first time since its 2021 Stanley Cup Final run. The franchise followed that up with the first overall pick in 2022 and fifth overall selections in 2023 and 2024, and that young core is now starting to emerge. LW Juraj Slafkovsky and RW Ivan Demidov are both expected to take on big roles in this first-round series. Pulling off an upset won't be easy, but the playoff experience will be crucial for Montreal's future as its rebuild continues to take shape. Stream the NHL all season on ESPN+, with your team's out-of-market games, exclusive games, originals and more. Get ESPN+ now! Canadiens at Capitals odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:22 a.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Canadiens +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | Capitals -190 (bet $190 to win $100) : Canadiens +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | Capitals -190 (bet $190 to win $100) Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS) : Canadiens +1.5 (-160) | Capitals -1.5 (+135) : Canadiens +1.5 (-160) | Capitals -1.5 (+135) Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -102 | U: -118) Canadiens at Capitals projected goalies Sam Montembeault (31-24-7, 2.82 GAA, .902 SV%, 4 SO in regular season) vs. Charlie Lindgren (20-14-3, 2.73 GAA, .896 SV%, 1 SO in regular season) Montembeault stepped up in a big way down the stretch, helping the Canadiens lock in a playoff spot with a strong April performance. The 28-year-old went 5-1-0-1 in his starts this month, posting a 2.12 GAA and a .922 SV%. He set career highs across the board this season, appearing in 62 games with 31 wins, a 2.82 GAA and 4 shutouts. Against Washington this year, Montembeault went 1-1, allowing 6 goals on 74 shots. He's 2-3 lifetime vs. the Capitals with a 3.49 GAA and .893 SV%. Lindgren shared duties with Logan Thompson for much of the season, but the Capitals leaned on him down the stretch. Lindgren started 7 games in April, going 4-2 with a 3.11 GAA and .881 SV%. He went 1-0 in 2 appearances against Montreal this season, stopping 21 of 24 shots. In his career, he's 3-1 against the Canadiens with a 2.51 GAA and .899 SV%. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! Canadiens at Capitals picks and predictions Prediction Capitals 4, Canadiens 2 PASS. I've got the Capitals holding serve at home Monday night, but I don't like betting nearly 2 units on the ML. I'll take my wager to the puck line. BET CAPITAL -1.5 (+135). Both teams may have stumbled into the playoffs, but the Capitals remain one of the NHL's top contenders. Washington boasts experience and firepower, finishing second in the league with 286 goals. C Dylan Strome, C Aliaksei Protas, and RW Tom Wilson each posted career highs in goals, highlighting the team's scoring depth. Montreal, though talented, enters with a young core led by 24-year-olds RW Cole Caufield (37 goals) and C Nick Suzuki (30 goals), along with 21-year-old D Lane Hutson, who notched an impressive 60 assists. However, this marks the first playoff appearance for many of its key contributors. The Capitals handled the Canadiens during the regular season, outscoring them 13-7 across 3 matchups. Washington was dominant at home, posting a 26-9-6 record, while Montreal struggled on the road at 17-19-5. With the edge in experience, firepower and home ice, expect the Eastern Conference's top team to take Game 1 in convincing fashion. I'm staying away from the total in this matchup. Over their last 10 games, the Capitals and Canadiens are a combined 9-9-2 O/U. Washington can pile on goals, but playoff hockey tends to tighten up. With Montreal's inexperience and postseason intensity, there's too much uncertainty to feel confident. It's best to PASS on the total here. For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @DrewPhelps05 on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Montreal hosts Florida in Atlantic Division play
Florida Panthers (44-26-3, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (34-30-9, in the Atlantic Division) Montreal, Quebec; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens face the Florida Panthers in a matchup of Atlantic Division squads. Advertisement Montreal is 15-6-0 against the Atlantic Division and 34-30-9 overall. The Canadiens are eighth in league play serving 9.3 penalty minutes per game. Florida is 44-26-3 overall with a 9-8-1 record against the Atlantic Division. The Panthers are 11-4-3 in one-goal games. The teams play Tuesday for the fourth time this season. The Canadiens won 4-2 in the previous matchup. TOP PERFORMERS: Patrik Laine has scored 19 goals with 13 assists for the Canadiens. Juraj Slafkovsky has six goals and five assists over the past 10 games. Sam Bennett has 25 goals and 24 assists for the Panthers. Sam Reinhart has four goals and five assists over the last 10 games. Advertisement LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 4-3-3, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.3 assists, 3.9 penalties and 9.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game. Panthers: 5-5-0, averaging 2.3 goals, 4.1 assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game. INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed. Panthers: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
