Overview

• The Washington Capitals, top seed in the Eastern Conference, start their first-round playoff series against the sixth-seeded Montreal Canadiens on April 21 at Capital One Arena.
• Alex Ovechkin recently broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record, adding momentum to Washington’s playoff aspirations.
• The Capitals have struggled with consistency, finishing the regular season with a 4-6-0 record in their last 10 games, while Montreal surged with a 7-1-2 finish.
• Coach Spencer Carbery highlighted the Canadiens’ experienced core and the Nick Suzuki–Lane Hutson line as key threats in the series.
• Aliaksei Protas, recovering from a foot injury, skated in a non-contact jersey today, leaving his Game 1 availability uncertain.