Washington beat Montreal 5-4 on Wednesday, October 14 at Capital One Arena, with Justin Holl breaking the tie in the third period.
Alex Tuch scored twice and added an assist for Washington, while Josh Anderson scored twice in a losing effort for a Canadiens team that kept answering and kept falling one goal short.
Tuch Sets The Tone For Washington
Alex Tuch was the most productive player on the ice, scoring twice and adding an assist to reach six points in seven games for Washington, with five goals and one assist in that span. The production continued a strong start after his June 24 sign and trade from Buffalo, a move that came with an eight year, 84 million dollar contract and clear top line expectations. On Wednesday he played like a player comfortable with that billing, finishing chances rather than only creating them, and giving Washington a finisher on a night when the lead changed hands and neither team could build a cushion that lasted.
Jordan Kyrou added a goal and an assist and Ilya Protas recorded two assists, spreading the Washington attack beyond one line. Justin Holl supplied the decisive moment, breaking the tie in the third period for a Capitals team that improved to 4-3-0. Charlie Lindgren made 26 saves to close it out. The win mattered for the standings, but it also mattered for the pattern. Washington had lost two straight before Wednesday, including a 4-2 loss at Carolina on Tuesday, and a third straight defeat in a game this open would have raised harder questions about defensive control.
“It wasn’t always pretty, we just rebounded really well in certain situations. We tried to get momentum back no matter what was going on.” Alex Tuch, Washington Capitals, published by NHL.com
That description fit the game honestly. Washington did not control the night from start to finish. Montreal pushed back every time the Capitals looked ready to separate, and the home team had to recover momentum more than once. In October, that kind of win still counts the same as a clean one, and for a team trying to steady itself after two losses, the response may be worth more than the style points that were missing for long stretches.
Anderson And Hutson Keep Montreal Close
Montreal did not travel to Washington to play a quiet road game. Josh Anderson scored twice, with Alex Newhook assisting on both Anderson goals, giving the Canadiens a direct and physical route back into the game each time Washington threatened to pull away. Lane Hutson added a goal and an assist, continuing to produce from the blue line and giving Montreal a transition threat that Washington had to respect every time he joined the rush. For a young defenceman, the value is not only the points. It is how quickly Montreal can move from defending in its own zone to attacking with numbers when Hutson touches the puck.
Jakub Dobes made 18 saves for Montreal, which fell to 3-3-1 with the loss. The Canadiens arrived with some momentum of their own, having won their previous two games, including a 4-3 shootout win over Buffalo on Tuesday, October 13. That context makes the defeat frustrating rather than alarming. Montreal scored four goals on the road, got two from Anderson and another productive night from Hutson, and still left without a point because the final tie break of the night went to Holl and Washington in the third period.
Canadian readers saw the other side of Washington earlier in the launch window when Washington beat the Rangers in a game defined by the Igor Shesterkin injury, and Montreal and Buffalo are familiar division opponents in this launch window. Our coverage of Montreal against Buffalo covers another meeting between the two clubs, with the same core Canadiens players driving the attack.
What A One Goal Loss Still Shows
Three concrete details define this game for Montreal. First, Anderson finishing twice shows the Canadiens have secondary scoring that can travel, which matters on the road against a deeper home team. Second, Newhook assisting on both Anderson goals shows chemistry that Martin St. Louis can keep together rather than treating the night as a one off. Third, Hutson producing a goal and an assist again shows Montreal does not have to choose between development and competitiveness this season. Its young defenceman is already a results player, not only a future player, and games like this one prove it even in defeat.
For Washington, the takeaway is narrower and simpler. When Tuch plays at this level, the Capitals have enough finishing to survive a loose game. When the game tightened in the third, Holl provided the goal and Lindgren provided the saves, with 26 stops on 30 shots. Washington will want cleaner defensive nights ahead, but after two straight losses it needed the two points first and the corrections second. That order is normal in October, and the Capitals earned the right to make those corrections from a win.
By The Numbers
- Final score: Washington Capitals 5, Montreal Canadiens 4, October 14 at Capital One Arena
- Alex Tuch: two goals and one assist, six points in seven games for Washington
- Josh Anderson: two goals for Montreal, both assisted by Alex Newhook
- Lane Hutson: one goal and one assist for Montreal
- Goaltending: Charlie Lindgren 26 saves for Washington, Jakub Dobes 18 saves for Montreal
- Records after the game: Washington 4-3-0, Montreal 3-3-1
Montreal leaves Washington with four goals, no points and a clear picture of both its promise and its problem. The Canadiens can score with a playoff level home team and trade chances in a building that is rarely kind to visitors. Closing a one goal road game is the next step, and it is a step this young group will have to take repeatedly if October promise is going to become a spring position. Washington, meanwhile, stops a short slide and moves on with its new top forward leading the way.
