Washington-Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome scored a minute of difference at the beginning of the second period, Logan Thompson made some spectacular stops between their 25 salvages and the Washington capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on Wednesday night in game 2 to take a 2-0 advantage in the series of the first round.
Thompson was at his best in the third, stealing in particular Josh Anderson of what would have been the goal of 2 against 0 with 10:59 with 10:59, then he received his stick in a deviation from Christian Dvorak. Fans sang “Lt! Lt!” And he gave the goalkeeper an ovation standing in honor of his performance in just his second game of an injury.
Until that time, Thompson didn’t have much work to do, since his teammates beat Montreal 18-8 in the second when Washington inclined the ice to Sam Montembeault. McMichael added his second to an empty network with 1.1 seconds.
McMichael and Strome scored changed the course in favor of the capitals, who after an unequal start resembled the superior team at the East Conference and one of the best of the NHL this season. They controlled the album for long sections and reached the ice media against Montembeault easily and with little resistance from a smaller and less experienced opponent.
Montembeault, as in game 1, could be said that he was the best player of the Canadiens, re -separating 29 of the 31 shots he faced, including Anthony Beauvillier on an opportunity for quality score in the first and Nic Dowd in a hurry of short man with short hands in the second.
Game 3 is Friday night in Montreal, marking the return of the playoff hockey with Bell Center full of fans. The last time it happened was 2017 because the 2021 of the Habs ran to the final of the Stanley Cup occurred when the pandemic restrictions limited the capacity for a crowd of 3,500.
