CANADIENS
Montreal

6-4

CAPITALS
Washington

Lineup

Forward lines and defense pairings 

[one_half]Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Drouin – Domi – Hudon
Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Armia
Deslauriers – Peca – Shaw
[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Benn – Petry
Reilly – Juulsen
Ouellet – Mete

[/one_half_last]

Goaltenders

Price
Niemi

Scratches

Scherbak, Alzner

Injuries

Weber, Schlemko, Plekanec, Byron

Game Report 

“That’s the loudest I’ve heard the building in a long time.” The same quote could be attributed to a handful of Canadiens players post-game.

There was a lot to be excited about at the Bell Centre tonight. Perhaps least noticed was that the Montreal Canadiens set a NHL record for fastest two goals by one team when Joel Armia scored just two seconds after a goal by Max Domi.

Apart from the Armia and Domi goals, the rest of the scoring came in pairs. Lars Eller, Alex Ovechkin, Brendan Gallagher and Canadiens rookie, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, each had two goals in the game.

Kotkaniemi’s markers were the first two of his NHL career. After his first goal, Carey Price skated to the blue-line to high-five Kotkaniemi. The 18-year-old centre was named first star of the game and received the coveted Game of Thrones cape from his teammates.

Kotkaniemi, Armia and Artturi Lehkonen was the Canadiens best line scoring three of the Habs six goals. Armia was also effective on the penalty-kill against a very potent Capitals power-play. 

The Canadiens continued to suffer from poor coverage and turnovers in the defensive zone. Carey Price could not be faulted on any of the Capitals goals.

But Price should be lauded for brilliant saves on Chandler Stephenson shorthanded and on Brett Connolly with four minutes left. At the other end of the ice, Braden Holtby had a tough night, allowing at least three soft goals.

It was a fun night at the Bell Centre. In the words of Kotkaniemi, “super fun.”

===

▲  Carey Price, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brendan Gallagher, Artturi Lehkonen, Joel Armia, Charles Hudon, Phillip Danault

▼  Nicolas Deslauriers, Jonathan Drouin, Matthew Peca, Andrew Shaw, Jordie Benn

1. Jesperi Kotkaniemi  MTL
2. Brendan Gallagher  MTL
3. Lars Eller  WSH

• “[Jesperi Kotkaniemi] scored his first goal tonight, and you can see his talent potential. He’s never looked out of place. He’s had games that have been better than others. We have to have patience, but I like the way he’s playing. And he’s doing a good job on the power play, where he finds seams not too many players can see.”

Max Domi

• “All the hype with [Jesperi Kotkaniemi] coming into the league as an 18-year-old and the way he’s handled himself, the poise, it’s remarkable. He’s a great kid and he deserves it.”

Quotes courtesy of NHL.com

The legends above looking on with approval.. https://t.co/aGEiP1ZYoS

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