Martin St. Louis lauds the Canadiens’ impressive performance in a 5-2 victory over the Capitals, signaling a concerning trend for Washington’s playoff aspirations. Facing a deficit they couldn’t overcome once more, the Capitals find themselves in jeopardy of jeopardizing their postseason chances.
Charlie Lindgren’s struggles in goal, conceding three goals on nine shots before being substituted, contributed to Washington’s fifth consecutive loss. Despite Alex Ovechkin’s milestone goal, marking his 10th of the season and edging closer to Wayne Gretzky’s record, the Capitals couldn’t reverse their fortunes.
“We don’t have the start we desire,” Ovechkin admitted, acknowledging the costly mistakes plaguing their game.
Meanwhile, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky’s combined efforts, each netting two goals, alongside Samuel Montembeault’s solid goaltending, propelled the Canadiens to victory in their first game post-All-Star break.
Montreal’s coach, Martin St. Louis, though recognizing imperfections in their play, emphasized the importance of finding ways to win in a competitive league.
Despite Ovechkin’s goal injecting some life into Washington’s game, they couldn’t recover from the early deficit. Dylan Strome noted the necessity of consistent performance throughout the game, acknowledging the challenges of merely rallying in one period.
Suzuki’s quick goals, followed by Michael Pezzetta’s tally, sealed Lindgren’s fate in goal, despite the circumstances not entirely on him. Washington’s defensive lapses and missed opportunities exacerbated their struggles, as highlighted by coach Spencer Carbery.
The Capitals’ lackluster start was compounded by Slafkovsky’s two goals in the final period, with Rasmus Sandin providing a brief response for Washington. Kuemper’s inability to stem the tide further compounded the Capitals’ woes, as they brace for a daunting schedule against top-tier opponents.
Strome emphasized the urgency to halt their losing streak and string together wins, recognizing the challenging road ahead, especially with the absence of key player Evgeny Kuznetsov, who entered the player assistance program.
As the Capitals navigate their longest skid of the season, they confront a pivotal moment in their campaign, needing to regroup swiftly to salvage their playoff aspirations.
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