WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time since 2018, the Washington Capitals have advanced past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in Game 5 on April 30, 2025, at Capital One Arena. The victory marks the first time since 2015 that the Caps have clinched a playoff series on home ice. Goaltender Logan Thompson’s 27 saves and two power-play goals in the first 37 minutes propelled Washington to the second round, where they will face the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Caps took control early despite a shaky start. Alex Ovechkin scored on a power play at 9:12 of the first period, capitalizing on a face-off win by Dylan Strome. Just over two minutes later, Jakob Chychrun scored, giving Washington a 2-0 lead. Tom Wilson’s power-play goal at 16:59 of the second period extended the lead to 3-0. Montreal’s Emil Heineman scored in the third, but Brandon Duhaime’s empty-net goal sealed the 4-1 win.
“It was a weird game,” said Caps coach Spencer Carbery. “It was a weird game, and you could feel it. We were off early, I felt like it was a little bit of nerves and some touches; we turned it over a couple of times in some key situations. And then we settle in, and we find the goals. The power play was massive tonight.”
Thompson, who started despite an injury in Game 3, was pivotal. “I felt good today,” said Thompson. “I think the team was doing a good job of letting me see it. There wasn’t many pucks that I didn’t see tonight, so credit to the group in front of me for making my life a little easier.” His key saves included stopping Brendan Gallagher and Kaiden Guhle in the second period, preserving the lead.
“We knew that this was going to be the toughest game of the series to win,” said Caps center P-L Dubois. “We knew it had to be our best effort, and once again we played really well. It never goes 100 percent your way for 60 minutes, and when that happens, you’ve got to fall back on your principles, on the system and on [Thompson], and he was great again.”
The Caps’ power play, which struggled earlier in the series, delivered crucial goals. Ovechkin’s first-period tally came one second after a face-off win. “Unfortunate break for Dvorak,” said Strome. “I think his stick was probably broken before the face-off. And then I was just trying to win it; I knew Ovi was behind me there somewhere, and he put a great shot on it.”
Montreal’s young roster pushed Washington throughout the series. “In the last couple of years, we were developing and learning how to play together,” said Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis. “And this year, there’s a transition of learning how to win.” Nick Suzuki added, “I’m extremely proud of everyone. From the start of the season to where we are now, we’ve grown so much and really felt like we could keep going.”
Carbery praised the Canadiens and retiring defenseman David Savard. “Before questions, I want to congratulate two things,” said Carbery. “David Savard, the career he’s had. The guy’s been a warrior in this League for a long, long time and it’s an impressive career. … And also, just to the Canadiens organization as a whole and their team. … They pushed us in every single one of those games.”
The Caps now face the Hurricanes, who defeated the New Jersey Devils in five games. The teams last met in the 2019 playoffs, with Carolina winning in seven games. “We’re going to enjoy this for sure first,” said Wilson. “We know [the Hurricanes] really well. They play fast, they play direct hockey, predictable to each other.”
Injuries impacted the Caps’ lineup. Defenseman Martin Fehervary is out for the playoffs following knee surgery, while forward Aliaksei Protas returned in Game 5 after a lower-body injury. Thompson’s resilience was critical, starting all five games despite setbacks.
“It’s huge,” said Dubois of the home-ice win. “They’ve been great all season, they’ve supported us all season, they’ve been great in the series, so to be able to celebrate with them at the end – and get a win at home – was really fun.”
The Capitals will take a day off before preparing for the Hurricanes, with the second-round schedule pending. The series promises fast, physical hockey as Washington seeks to continue its playoff run.
The Capitals last advanced past the first round in 2018, winning the Stanley Cup. Their 2015 home-ice series win was against the New York Islanders. Capital One Arena, opened in 1997, has hosted numerous playoff games, but series-clinching victories on home ice have been rare in recent years.
