ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals were happy with how things went against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1, with the exception of 10 minutes.
Washington was holding a commanding 2-0 lead and playing the right way, but admittedly, stepped off the gas, allowing Montreal to eventually even the score and force overtime.
"When we had our foot on the gas and we got pucks into good spots and forechecks, I thought our game took off from there in the first and second period. And I think as we stopped forechecking like we did in the first and second, you allow any team easy exits and set breakouts, it's going to be tough not to be playing in your D-zone. And spend enough time in your D-zone, bad things, ultimately, they're going to happen, right?" Nic Dowd said. "They're going to score and get fortunate, and it's inevitable. Although it's tough for 60 minutes to maintain that pace, I think we have to continue to do the little things to not allow them to play with so much pace in the third."
How Capitals Plan To Navigate Blue Line Without Fehervary Going Forward
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals were handed a major blow on Tuesday, when the team announced that defenseman Martin Fehervary <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/latest-news/fehervary-undergoes-surgery-on-meniscus-out-for-remainder-of-capitals-playoff-run">underwent surgery on his meniscus</a> and will miss the remainder of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Coach Spencer Carbery saw an unfamiliar shift in his group, as the tone on the bench changed after Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki evened the score. It wasn't what he wanted to see, and he demanded change from his group entering 5-on-5 sudden death overtime.
"We started overcomplicating a little bit, we got away from it. You've got to give them credit, they push, they're down, we know what's coming. Didn't like how we handled it... even after they tied it up, I was trying to drum up some energy on our bench, because there was a lot of, 'Poor me,'" Carbery said, adding, "We needed to regroup there and find ourselves again and get ready to, 'Okay, whatever's happened doesn't matter.' That's playoff hockey."
The Capitals managed to escape with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 1 thanks to a quick goal from captain Alex Ovechkin just minutes into the extra frame.
"Good things happen when you go to the net," Ovechkin said.
Though the result was the right one, the team knows it got away with an important lesson.
"We have the outcome that we want, we got the win and we learned some stuff," Tom Wilson explained. "Everything that goes into the journey and where you want to end up, and I think it shows that if you play passive, playoff teams are too good. They're going to make plays, and we got to keep our foot down."
The biggest lesson: don't get away from your game, keep it simple and, most importantly, don't panic.
"First of all, you got to take a deep breath. It's not like we were going to go into this series and not give a goal up the entire series... In order to be successful, we have to play the same way — all four lines do, and we know that. And then we'll have success,' Dowd said. "What's important is that you're going to give up goals, whether it be in our building, their building, throughout the playoffs. That next shift, those next two shifts are big.
"...You have to manage the puck, and you've got to skate. Like, we have to put pressure on their defensemen, and I think if you can get that puck below the goal line and put pressure and get sustained pressure, that's going to turn and that's going to turn a shift. That's going to give you momentum."
Takeaways: Ovechkin Lifts Capitals To Game 1 Win Over Canadiens
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin promised that he and the Washington Capitals would be in "beast mode" going into Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Going into Game 2 on Wednesday, the Capitals are ready to showcase their consistency through 60 minutes and hope to avoid a similar situation if they want to jump out to a commanding 2-0 series lead.
After all, as Carbery said, the Canadiens "won't go quietly into the night."
"You can see why they made the playoffs. The team doesn't quit. A lot of talent. In the third, they didn't go away," Logan Thompson added. "They're a good hockey club. You've got to respect them because they took it to us there."