Canadiens vs Capitals Prediction: Goaltending Under Pressure

The Canadiens arrive in Washington having won two consecutive games, although neither victory was particularly straightforward.

They defeated Detroit 1–0 in a shootout on Saturday before beating Buffalo 4–3, again requiring a shootout, on Tuesday night.

The Buffalo game was especially frustrating from a defensive perspective.

Montreal carried a 3–1 lead into the third period after goals from Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Josh Anderson, but Buffalo scored twice within 61 seconds to force overtime. The Canadiens eventually secured the extra point, although surrendering another multi-goal lead wasn't exactly encouraging.

What makes that result particularly interesting is that Montreal dominated the shot count, outshooting Buffalo 38–17.

That's an important distinction. The Canadiens aren't necessarily allowing opponents to generate an enormous number of opportunities every night, but they're conceding goals at an uncomfortable rate.

Through six games, Montreal has allowed 22 goals, an average of 3.67 per contest. They also surrendered 17 goals across three consecutive defeats earlier this month.

There is plenty of attacking quality in this team. Nick Suzuki remains an excellent playmaker, Caufield provides a reliable scoring threat, and Hutson continues to generate opportunities from the blue line.

However, generating scoring chances doesn't solve the problems at the other end.

Montreal has already demonstrated that it can lose control of games despite enjoying long periods of offensive pressure. Against a Washington team looking to respond after consecutive defeats, that could become a significant problem.

The Capitals have opened the season with three victories and three defeats, scoring 19 goals while allowing 18.

Those numbers aren't particularly impressive, but Washington has demonstrated that it can produce offense against quality opposition.

The Capitals defeated Carolina 5–2 in their season opener, followed by a 5–3 victory over Pittsburgh and a 3–1 win against the New York Rangers.

However, their latest two performances have been less convincing.

Washington suffered a 5–3 home defeat against Seattle on Sunday before losing 4–2 against Carolina on Tuesday.

The Hurricanes game was particularly frustrating. Washington twice took the lead, but Carolina eventually took control, with Andrei Svechnikov scoring the decisive power-play goal during the third period.

Logan Thompson made 31 saves in a losing effort, while Boone Jenner and Justin Holl scored Washington's goals.

From an attacking perspective, I don't think the Capitals have been particularly poor. They have enough quality throughout their forward group, with Dylan Strome, Alex Tuch, Tom Wilson and Jordan Kyrou all capable of creating opportunities.

Alex Ovechkin is also beginning to find his scoring touch, having scored his first goal of the season against Seattle.

The bigger issue has been maintaining consistency for 60 minutes.

Washington has occasionally struggled with defensive turnovers and poor decisions, particularly when opponents increase the pressure. Those problems could certainly cost them against Montreal, but they don't necessarily reduce the likelihood of the Capitals creating scoring opportunities of their own.

Against a Canadiens team allowing nearly four goals per game, I expect Washington to generate plenty of scoring opportunities. However, with the Capitals having their own defensive problems, I wouldn't be surprised if Montreal contributed several goals as well.

This could be one of the most important factors in Wednesday's matchup.

Jakub Dobeš — Montreal Canadiens

Montreal has confirmed that Dobeš will start after Jacob Fowler played against Buffalo on Tuesday.

Dobeš has appeared in three games this season, posting a 1-1-1 record, a 4.43 goals-against average and an .856 save percentage.

Those numbers are concerning, although we're dealing with a very small sample size. Three appearances aren't enough to establish whether a goaltender is genuinely struggling or simply enduring a difficult opening stretch.

Still, the Canadiens have allowed plenty of goals, and I'm not convinced Dobeš will suddenly solve all their problems on Wednesday.

Charlie Lindgren — Washington Capitals

Lindgren is expected to start for Washington after Thompson played against Carolina on Tuesday.

The Capitals haven't officially confirmed that decision, but it would make sense given the schedule and Thompson's workload.

Lindgren has plenty of NHL experience, although he hasn't established himself as quite the same level of goaltender as Thompson.

I expect him to face a difficult challenge against Montreal's talented offensive group, particularly if the Canadiens generate the same volume of shots they managed against Buffalo.

Both projected goaltending situations give us reasons to expect opportunities, although the final assignments should be checked before publication.

Both teams played Tuesday night, meaning neither has enjoyed much preparation time before Wednesday's encounter.

Montreal travels from Quebec after its shootout victory over Buffalo, while Washington returns home from Carolina.

The lack of rest could become significant as the game progresses.

Defensive coverage and positioning require concentration, particularly against opponents capable of moving the puck quickly. Fatigue doesn't automatically lead to more goals, but tired players can make mistakes, and both teams have already demonstrated that defensive breakdowns are a concern.

Montreal's strength is its ability to generate offense through Suzuki, Caufield and Hutson, particularly when the Canadiens establish possession in the offensive zone.

Washington, meanwhile, has a more physical forward group and several players capable of creating opportunities from turnovers.

I expect the Capitals to put pressure on Dobeš early, particularly given Montreal's recent defensive performances. However, the Canadiens should also be capable of generating opportunities against Lindgren if he starts.

This could become a relatively open encounter, particularly if either team scores early and forces its opponent to chase the game.

Montreal continues to deal with several injuries.

Sam Montembeault remains unavailable with a lower-body injury, while Mike Matheson is listed as day-to-day after missing Tuesday's victory against Buffalo. Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov are also dealing with injuries, reducing Montreal's options up front.

Owen Beck returned to the lineup against Buffalo after being recalled from Laval, giving Martin St. Louis another option among the bottom-six forwards.

Washington has its own injury concerns.

Pierre-Luc Dubois has missed consecutive games because of illness, although the Capitals are hopeful he can return against Montreal. Matt Roy remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Rasmus Sandin is sidelined with a knee problem.

Those absences have forced Spencer Carbery to adjust his defensive pairings, with Justin Holl making his Washington debut against Carolina.

Holl scored in that game, providing an unexpected offensive contribution, but the Capitals would certainly benefit from having Roy available again.

The Hutson Brothers Meet for the First Time

There is also a rather entertaining subplot involving Lane Hutson and his younger brother Cole.

Lane has established himself as one of Montreal's most exciting young defensemen, while Cole is beginning to make his mark with Washington.

Wednesday will be the first time the brothers face each other in an NHL game, adding another storyline to an already interesting matchup.

Lane scored against Buffalo on Tuesday, so he'll arrive in Washington with a little extra confidence. I'm sure the brothers will have plenty to discuss afterward, regardless of the result.