Capitals stop Canadiens on Backstrom's goal
MONTREAL -- Nicklas Backstrom's power-play goal stood as the winner to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday afternoon at the Bell Centre.
Jay Beagle and Andre Burakovsky also scored for Washington (35-11-6), which got 19 saves from Braden Holtby.
With the win, Capitals coach Barry Trotz moved past Dick Irvin into sixth place on the NHL's all-time coaching list with 693.
Alexander Radulov and Max Pacioretty connected for the Canadiens (30-16-7). Carey Price stopped 27 shots.
Montreal had a couple of early chances, taking the first three shots on goal. But it was the Capitals who got on the board first with their first shot on goal of the afternoon. Daniel Winnik found Beagle in the high slot and the center sniped his 11th of the season at 3:02.
Radulov's 13th of the season tied it up 4 1/2 minutes later. Phillip Danault prevented the Capitals from clearing it at the blue line and then Pacioretty blocked another attempt that went back to Danault, who dished off to Radulov in the slot.
Burakovsky made it 2-1 Washington on the power play at 9:26 of the second period. Brett Connolly drove up the left side before sending a cross-ice feed to Burakovsky, alone in the right circle.
Radulov thought he had his second of the day a few minutes later, but it was immediately waved off for goaltender interference.
Backstrom put the Capitals up by two on the power play at 5:16 of the third period. Patient passing between the Washington pivot and defenseman Matt Niskanen ended with Backstrom firing a shot through bodies past Price.
Pacioretty cut into the visitors' lead two and a half minutes later when he took a Radulov backhand feed for his 25th of the season.
Galchenyuk had the Canadiens' best chance to tie in the third with a shot from the right circle on but was robbed by Holtby.
NOTES: Montreal D Andrei Markov played in his 962nd career NHL game, moving past Guy Lafleur into eighth place on the Canadiens' all-time list. ... Canadiens C Tomas Plekanec played in career game No. 896, tying Patrice Brisebois for 12th on the franchise's all-time list. ... Capitals D John Carlson appeared in his 500th NHL game, becoming the 12th defenseman in franchise history to reach the mark. ... Canadiens RW/LW Sven Andrighetto was back after sitting out Thursday's game as a healthy scratch, while C David Desharnais and D Greg Pateryn were scratched. ... Washington scratched LW Jakub Vrana and D Taylor Chorney.