Canadiens at Capitals
The red-hot Washington Capitals have surged to the top of the Eastern Conference and will square off with the team that occupied that spot for much of the season when they host the reeling Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The Capitals are riding a season high-tying six-game winning streak, part of a 13-1-1 tear that has sparked their climb in the standings.
"We’ve got a lot of good things going for us and I think guys are proud of what we’ve accomplished so far this year," Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “But what are we, 32 games in, 33 games in? There is a lot of season left." While the Capitals have one regulation defeat in five weeks, the Canadiens are in a freefall with five consecutive losses and nine in their last 10 games (1-9-0). The tailspin started, ironically, with a 3-2 home loss to Washington on Dec. 3 and coincided with an injury to reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price, who has not played since Nov. 25. Saturday's matchup marks the halfway point of an eight-game road trip for Montreal, which opened the season with a franchise-record nine straight victories.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, CBC, TVA, City (Montreal), CSN Washington
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (20-13-3): Despite Price's absence, a lack of offense has been the biggest issue for Montreal, which has scored five goals during the five-game skid and produced more than two goals once in 11 games in December. "We meet often. We talk often. It doesn't really need to be aired out there," said captain Max Pacioretty, who has one goal and two points in 10 games. "I think what we need to do is stick with it. We've done a lot of good things." The penalty kill isn't one of them - the Canadiens have yielded four power-play goals in the first three games of the road trip.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (25-6-2): Washington is showing the ability to win in any fashion, grinding out a 2-1 victory over Carolina on Monday - the fourth time it yielded one goal during the winning streak - after popping in 12 goals in its previous two games. Fourth-line center Michael Latta scored one goal and set up the other against the Hurricanes, giving him a pair of tallies in his last four games. "I think I can be a good player at this level, no question in my mind," Latta said. "I think I just started to believe that and am starting to show what I can do when I get my opportunities.”
OVERTIME
1. Capitals G Braden Holtby, who has a league-high 21 wins, is 7-0-2 with a 1.40 goals-against average versus Montreal.
2. Pacioretty has two goals and nine points in 21 games against the Capitals.
3. Washington is 13-0-1 when a bottom-six forward scores a goal.