The Montreal Canadiens nearly shocked the hockey world when they rallied from a 2-0 deficit in Game 1 and forced overtime against the Washington Capitals. It was a gutsy effort from the playoffs' youngest team, but they could not finish the job after Alex Ovechkin recorded his third point of the game and second goal in overtime.
Considering half of the team didn't have their best game, it was a good result for the Canadiens. There is no doubt that Montreal can steal a couple of games in this series if they figure out how to get everyone pulling the rope in the same direction. Earning a split on the road in Washington would be a massive result considering they then get two games at the Bell Centre. However, it isn't the end of the world if they go back to Montreal down 0-2. It would'nt be surprising if they find a way to know it up back in Montreal.
How to Watch Canadiens vs. Capitals Game 2
Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: Capital One Arena
How to Watch: ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports, MNMT, FuboTV
There were plenty of positives to take out of the Canadiens' Game 1 performance against the Capitals. It isn't easy for a young group to play their first playoff game against an experienced team, and Montreal did well to mount a comeback and make it interesting. It might not have ended the way they wanted, but there is no reason for the Canadiens to play the rest of this season with any doubts. They've already shown they can play with the Capitals and have plenty of confidence entering Game 2.