WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 30: Capitals left wing Alexander Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates after scoring the first goal of the game during game five of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on April 30, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C..
(Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Capitals defeat Canadiens in 5 Games
  • Washington will face Carolina in second round
  • Read below for more on the Caps advancing

The last time the Washington Capitals won a playoff series it was to lift the Stanley Cup in 2018. While this is sure to be less of a celebration, the Caps advanced to the second round with a 4-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

The Capitals took a 2-0 series lead on home ice with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 1 and a 3-1 victory in Game 2. The Canadiens got in the win column with a 6-3 victory at home in Game 3, but the Caps turned the tables back with a 5-2 win in Game 4 in Montreal.

Alex Ovechkin opened the scoring with a power-play blast off a faceoff win by Dylan Strome.

That gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, and they never looked back.

Jacob Chychrun put the Caps up 2-0 just two minutes and three seconds later to put the Habs’ backs against the wall even more.

Then it was Tom Wilson with a power-play goal late in the second period to push the Capitals lead to three.

Strome once again had an assist on that marker for his second of the game.

Wilson made his presence felt against the Canadiens, from his altercation with Josh Anderson that spilled into the bench to a big goal in the series-clinching game.

The two had nothing but respect in the handshake line after the game.

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The Capitals will now face the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. The Canes also took care of business at home in Game 5 to eliminate the New Jersey Devils. Sebastian Aho was the double-overtime hero in that clinching game.

The Capitals last met the Hurricanes in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Hurricanes overcame 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to eliminate the Caps in seven games.

The teams split their four matchups in the regular season with each side winning two games apiece.

That series could start as soon as this weekend in D.C.