Canadiens’ Late Rally Falls Short in Game 1 OT Loss to Capitals….read more…..
Montreal, QC – The atmosphere was electric inside the Bell Centre Monday night as the Montreal Canadiens mounted a dramatic comeback in the third period of Game 1 against the Washington Capitals. But despite their late surge, the Habs fell just short, losing 4–3 in overtime in the opening game of the Eastern Conference playoff series.
The Canadiens erased a two-goal deficit late in regulation, forcing overtime in front of a roaring home crowd. But the energy was quickly drained just three minutes into the extra frame when Washington’s T.J. Oshie buried a rebound past goalie Samuel Montembeault to give the Capitals a 1–0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Canadiens left the ice with heads held high — but also with the sting of a missed opportunity.
“We showed fight, we showed heart,” said Montreal captain Nick Suzuki, who had a goal and an assist. “But in the playoffs, you have to finish. We didn’t, and now we’re chasing the series.”
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A Tale of Two Halves
For most of the night, the Capitals dictated the pace. Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring with a blistering one-timer midway through the first period, setting the tone for what looked to be a dominant night for Washington. Goals from John Carlson and Tom Wilson gave the Caps a 3–1 lead entering the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Montreal struggled to find their footing early, generating few quality scoring chances against a tight Capitals defensive unit led by goalie Darcy Kuemper, who finished with 32 saves.
But the Habs flipped the script in the final minutes.
With just under six minutes remaining, Cole Caufield ignited the comeback with a rocket from the right circle, cutting the deficit to one. Then, with 1:24 left on the clock and Montembeault pulled for the extra attacker, Suzuki found the equalizer, capitalizing on a loose puck in front of the crease to send the Bell Centre into a frenzy.
“We had the momentum,” said head coach Martin St. Louis. “We believed. That’s what matters in these moments. We gave ourselves a chance.”
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Overtime Heartbreak
Unfortunately for the Canadiens, their hopes were dashed just minutes into sudden death.
The Capitals won an offensive zone faceoff, and after a point shot from Carlson deflected off a stick, the puck landed right in front of Oshie, who tapped it in for the game-winner.
“It was a lucky bounce, but we’ll take it,” Oshie said. “They came back hard, and we knew we had to answer. This is playoff hockey — nothing comes easy.”
The goal was Oshie’s 26th career playoff tally and a reminder of his knack for clutch moments.
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Mixed Emotions for Montreal
Despite the loss, Montreal players and coaches took pride in their resilience. For a team making its first postseason appearance since 2021, pushing a seasoned Capitals squad to the brink in Game 1 showed just how far they’ve come.
“We’re not just happy to be here,” Suzuki said firmly. “We want to win. We’re going to learn from this and come back stronger.”
Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson, playing in his first NHL playoff game, looked poised beyond his years and logged over 20 minutes of ice time, drawing praise from both benches.
“He’s the real deal,” said Capitals coach Spencer Carbery. “Quick feet, great reads — he’s going to be a problem in this series.”
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Looking Ahead to Game 2
The Canadiens will need to regroup quickly, as Game 2 is set for Wednesday night in Montreal. While they proved they can hang with the Capitals, avoiding another slow start will be critical if they want to even the series before it shifts to Washington.
“We need a full 60 minutes — not just the last 10,” said Caufield. “We can’t wait until we’re down two to get going.”
The Capitals, meanwhile, are well aware they escaped with a win and will look to tighten up defensively moving forward.
“They pushed us. That’s a good team over there,” Ovechkin said. “But this is the playoffs. Every game’s a battle.”
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A Promising Start Despite the Loss
Though the Game 1 result wasn’t what Canadiens fans hoped for, the energy, grit, and determination shown by the young roster gave the city plenty of reasons to be optimistic. In the end, they fell just short — but the series is far from over.
“We’re in this fight,” St. Louis said. “We’re not backing down.”
And if Game 1 was any indication, this series could be one of the most exciting of the postseason.
