Capitals at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens vie for their fifth consecutive victory when they open a four-game homestand against the Washington Capitals on Saturday afternoon. Carey Price hasn't missed a beat since the All-Star break, stopping 64-of-66 shots to lead Montreal to a 3-2 victory over Dallas on Tuesday and a 1-0 triumph over the New York Rangers two days later. "I am just worried about doing my job - stopping the next shot," Price said after the Canadiens improved to 14-3-1 in their last 18 contests to reside one point behind Atlantic Division-leading Tampa Bay.
Price has reason to worry since he'll be looking to cool down red-hot fellow All-Star Alex Ovechkin, who has scored 13 times in as many games to seize the NHL lead with 29 goals. The Capitals' captain netted a pair of tallies to help his team snap a four-game winless streak (0-3-1) with a 4-0 rout of Pittsburgh on Wednesday. With his next goal, Ovechkin will become the fifth player in league history to record 10 consecutive seasons with 30-or-more tallies at the start of a career.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, NHLN, CSN-DC (Washington), RSN, RDS (Montreal)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (25-14-9): Like Price, Braden Holtby is also coming off a shutout as he registered his fifth to become the first Washington goaltender to record more than four in a season since Olaf Kolzig notched six in 2001-02. Holtby has been downright stingy versus Montreal, posting a 5-0-1 mark with two blankings and a rail-thin 0.98 goals-against average. His lone blemish came in Washington's season opener as he turned aside 23 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss on Oct. 9.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (31-13-3): Max Pacioretty scored his team-leading 22nd goal on Thursday but has just one in 18 career meetings with Washington. Tomas Plekanec has been held off the scoresheet in three straight contests after recording three goals and six assists during a seven-game stretch. The 32-year-old netted his team's lone tally in regulation in the first meeting and has 14 goals and 13 assists in 35 career contests against Washington.
OVERTIME
1. Washington has won seven straight at Bell Centre, outscoring the hosts by a 25-5 margin.
2. Montreal D Alexei Emelin has recorded a point in two consecutive contests after being held off the scoresheet in six straight games.
3. Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom has collected two goals and six assists during his five-game point streak.