Canadiens at Capitals
The Washington Capitals continue to find ways to win close games, among the many reasons they are running away from the pack in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. The streaking Capitals have won four straight and nine of their last 10 - seven by one goal - heading into Wednesday's matchup against the visiting Montreal Canadiens.
Washington, which set a league record by becoming the first team in history to win 44 of its first 58 games in a season, can match their victory total of 2014-15 by beating the Canadiens for the third time in as many meetings. The Capitals improved to 17-1-1 over their last 19 home games with a 3-2 win over Arizona on Tuesday. Montreal has dropped four of five (1-3-1) since a three-game winning streak to fall seven points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and now must find a way to derail Washington. "We’ve got to go in there with the mindset that it’s going to take a full 60 minutes, if not more, to beat a team like that,” Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty told reporters.
TV: 7 p.m. ET; Sportsnet, RDS (Montreal), CSN-DC Plus (Washington)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (28-27-5): Already missing defenseman Jeff Petry, Montreal's troubles on the blue line continued with the announcement that Tom Gilbert will undergo season-ending knee surgery and Nathan Beaulieu (lower body) will not accompany the team to Washington. Beaulieu was hurt when he was pushed into a goalpost during Monday's shootout loss to Nashville, prompting the recall of defenseman Victor Bartley from St. John's of the American Hockey League. The Canadiens on Tuesday signed forward Paul Byron to a three-year contract extension.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (44-10-4): Captain Alex Ovechkin has scored 18 times in his last 18 games to boost his league-leading total to 39 goals and leave him one shy of reaching 40 for the eighth time in his career. Meanwhile, Washington acquired defenseman Mike Weber from Buffalo on Tuesday for a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. "Mike is a stay-at-home defenseman who plays a physical game and is respected by his teammates," general manager Brian MacLellan said. "We felt it was important to add depth to our blue line by adding another quality veteran defenseman."
OVERTIME
1. Capitals G Braden Holtby is 8-0-2 with a 1.36 goals-against average versus Montreal.
2. Pacioretty has scored only two goals in 22 games against Washington.
3. Capitals D Brooks Orpik will appear in his 800th career game Wednesday.