Capitals vs. Canadiens Preview: April 4, 2019
The Washington Capitals return home to D.C. to face the Montreal Canadiens. This is the first of a two-game homestand to end the regular season for the Caps. Washington is already in the playoffs, Montreal has a chance to contend with a strong end to the regular season. Both teams are hot at just the right time, and their streaks culminate in a meeting at Capital One Arena tonight.
The Caps have 102 points and a Metro Division-leading 47-25-8 record. With a Penguins loss on Tuesday, they have clinched home-ice in the first round of the playoffs. Despite a loss to the Panthers, they are still a capable team behind the high-scoring of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Nicklas Backstrom, and the rest of the team. Montreal has 94 points and a 43-29-8 record, tied with Columbus for the final wild card. While a few games may have to fall in their favor to qualify for the playoffs, the Canadiens are still in position to contend. Riding a two-game winning streak, they are not a team to be underestimated.
The season series between these two teams is tied at one win each. On November 1, the Canadiens won by a score of 6-4 in Montreal. The Caps retaliated with another win at Centre Bell on November 19 by a score of 5-4. This time, it is contention for the regular series and perhaps the playoffs as the Canadiens look to make ground, and the Caps look to hold off the Islanders for the division crown.
