The Montreal Canadiens are out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Montreal fell 4-1 to the Washington Capitals in Recreation 5 of their first-round sequence Wednesday, dropping the best-of-seven matchup in 5 video games.
Alex Ovechkin scored on a laser of a shot off a faceoff, Logan Thompson made some spectacular saves amongst his 28 and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in Recreation 5 of their first-round sequence Wednesday night time to advance within the NHL playoffs.
It’s the Capitals’ first sequence win since capturing the Stanley Cup in 2018, they usually clinched at residence for the primary time since 2015. They face the Carolina Hurricanes within the second spherical with a spot within the Japanese Convention closing at stake.
Ovechkin led the best way together with his power-play aim 11 minutes in, setting off chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” from the juiced up crowd. Pierre-Luc Dubois delivered an ideal go to Jakob Chychrun, who beat Jakub Dobes simply over two minutes later. Tom Wilson offered a beneficial insurance coverage aim late within the second interval.
Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) skates with the puck previous Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) within the first interval of Recreation 5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff sequence Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Picture/Nick Wass)
Followers expressed their appreciation for Thompson with chants of “LT! LT!” when he turned apart Kaiden Guhle on a three-on-one rush and with underneath two minutes left when he flashed his glove to rob Nick Suzuki with Dobes pulled for an additional attacker. Brandon Duhaime sealed it with an empty-netter with 25.6 seconds left.
Thompson was at his greatest at the beginning when the Canadiens got here out with the desperation anticipated from a workforce dealing with elimination after which within the third once they pressed and tilted the ice towards him. Very like the ultimate minutes of Recreation 2Washington’s No. 1 goaltender saved the puck out of the online in essential conditions to pave the best way to a victory — generally getting his masked head in the best way of pictures.
The Capitals asserted their dominance within the East’s 1 versus 8 sequence, a 12 months after getting swept because the underdog in it by the New York Rangers. Banged up and with out high goalie Sam Montembeault and scoring winger Patrik Laine, the Canadiens bought a aim from Emil Heineman however in the end ran out of steam after happening a tear down the stretch late within the common season to be the final workforce to qualify for the playoffs.
Montreal turns into the second workforce knocked out of the post-season.
The Canadiens unexpectedly returned to the playoffs for the primary time since 2021, marking a turnaround for the storied franchise that started its first rebuild after a disastrous begin to the 2021-22 season.
Montreal lived close to the NHL’s basement for 3 years and was not a preferred pre-season decide to achieve the playoffs.
The Canadiens stumbled out of the gate and ranked thirty first within the NHL on Dec. 1, greater than 1 / 4 of the best way by means of the season.
A scorching streak in the course of the vacation season was one in every of many turning factors in a roller-coaster marketing campaign.
The Canadiens struggled once more in late January and early February to fall behind within the playoff race, however rebounded with a 15-5-6 run after the 4 Nations Face-Off break in a stretch stuffed with dramatic comebacks.
Montreal Canadiens proper wing Cole Caufield (13) skates with the puck in opposition to Washington Capitals proper wing Tom Wilson (43) within the second interval of Recreation 5 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff sequence Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Picture/Nick Wass)
Montreal captured the second — and closing — wild card within the Japanese Convention with a 4-2 win over Carolina in its closing sport of the common season. The matchup drew a lot consideration that the French-language federal election debate wanted to be rescheduled two hours sooner than deliberate.
Captain Nick Suzuki led the best way with 89 factors — probably the most by a Canadien since 1995-96 — whereas Calder Trophy favorite Lane Hutson set new franchise information for a rookie defenceman.
Sam Montembeault established himself as a strong No. 1 goalie, and veterans Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher had their greatest seasons in years, amongst a number of different key performances in a particular season.
The youngest workforce to achieve the playoffs, the Canadiens additionally certified with the fewest factors (91) and worst goal-differential (-20).
