Friday night’s game was full of twists and turns at the Bell Centre; nine goals were scored, and four goaltenders were used, a rare feat. Emergency backup goaltender Patrick Chevrefils ended up on the Montreal Canadiens’ bench, wondering if he would be called into action, but the goalie hemorrhage stopped after the starting netminders.
Canadiens: If Montembeault Isn’t Good To Go
Canadiens: Home Sweet Home
On Saturday afternoon, Martin St-Louis said Samuel Montembeault was still being evaluated, and Spencer Carbery, the Washington Capitals coach, said he expected to get an update on Logan Thompson later in the day. It was no great surprise. Show me a coach who’s an open book about their lineup or injuries during the NHL playoffs.
However, judging by how Thompson exited the ice without putting any weight on his left leg on Friday, he’s going to need to be Wolverine to heal in time, but that’s not unheard of. We’re talking about a hockey player here, not a footballer. As for Samuel Montembeault, he was seen gingerly going up some stairs after the game, and that’s not a good sign either.
Logic dictates that on Sunday night, Capitals backup Charlie Lindgren will be taking on the team that gave the undrafted free agent his first chance in the pro ranks at the end of his third season in the NCAA with St. Cloud State in 2015-16.
The 31-year-old has never faced the Canadiens in postseason action, but he has a 3-1-0 record against them in the regular season with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.
As for Jakub Dobes, it’s not far-fetched to believe he’ll be back in the net after being credited with the win on Friday night. That was the first time he had faced the Capitals, or any other team in the playoffs. He gave up one goal on eight shots and finished his night with a .875 SP. The young netminder also beat Washington once in the regular season when he backstopped the Habs to a 3-2 win in D.C. in early January.
Up front, the Capitals will have to keep a close eye on the Canadiens’ top line. Cole Caufield put up two points last night, Jurja Slafkovsky scored a big goal, and across three games, the former has a staggering 19 shots on goal while the latter has 14. Rookie wonder Lane Hutson has three points in three games about Ovi and co.
As for the Habs, they’ll have to know where Alex Ovechkin is at all times. The Capitals’ captain has 14 points in just 10 games against the Canadiens, followed by Dylan Strome, who has five in three games.
Exceptionally, the game is set for 6:30 PM. Make sure not to tune in late; the intensity is ramping up quickly in this series, and who knows what could happen early.
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