Cole Caufield scored a pair of first-period targets to assist propel the Montreal Canadiens to a 6-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night time on the Bell Centre.
Caufield has a team-high 35 targets on the season, 15 of which have been scored on a Saturday night time.
Mike Matheson and Kirby Dach scored targets within the second interval for Montreal (33-17-9), which has recorded not less than a degree in seven consecutive video games (5-0-2).
Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans added empty-net targets within the third. Suzuki additionally had two assists within the successful effort.
Jakub Dobes made 27 saves as he improved his document to 9-0-2 over his final 11 video games. The rookie goaltender has not misplaced a recreation in regulation since a 6-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 9.
Alex Ovechkin scored twice for the Capitals (31-24-7), who had their three-game win streak snapped.
The Capitals captain has scored 44 targets and recorded 76 factors in simply 63 profession matchups towards the Canadiens. The targets additionally allowed the NHL’s all-time main objective scorer to run his level streak on the Bell Centre to eight video games, a streak relationship again to November 2018.
Charlie Lindgren stopped 19 photographs in his first begin since Jan. 29 for the Capitals. The Lakeville, Minn., native, who started his profession with the Canadiens, has given up not less than three targets in every of his final 9 appearances in objective.
TAKEAWAYS
Capitals: Washington’s ongoing struggles on the ability play have been evident once more. The crew did not capitalize on every of its 4 alternatives whereas up a person. The Capitals entered play Saturday thirty first general within the NHL in power-play effectivity.
Canadiens: The Bell Centre stays a tricky cease for visiting groups as Montreal improved to 10-3-1 in its final 14 residence video games.
KEY MOMENT
It took all of 30 seconds for the Canadiens to search out the again of the online, marking the quickest game-opening objective scored by Montreal this season. Jakob Chychrun’s level shot was blocked by Caufield, leading to a breakaway for the ahead. His snap shot beat Lindgren to the glove aspect.
KEY STAT
Caufield’s targets have been his twentieth and twenty first go-ahead tallies of the season, shifting him previous Man Lafleur (20 in 1977-78) for probably the most in a single season in franchise historical past. He additionally leads the NHL in that division this 12 months, sitting seven forward of each Vegas’s Jack Eichel and Boston’s Morgan Geekie.
UP NEXT
Capitals: Host the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday.
Canadiens: Go to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.