Alexander Ovechkin’s current scoring streak has again sparked excitement about him breaking another Wayne Gretzky record, but could this distract the Washington Capitals from their main objective of reaching the play-offs? Up next are the Montreal Canadiens, who are very dangerous this season.
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are ninth in the Eastern Conference, separated from a wild-card spot only by points percentage. Their current run is not particularly impressive (4-5-1). As a result, since the New Year they have been overtaken by the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. The poor results have not stopped Alexander Ovechkin scoring – he has found the net in four consecutive games. He is now on 20 goals, making it the 21st consecutive season in which he has reached at least 20 goals. However, for example, in the game against the Dallas Stars his goal was the only one for them (1:4).
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens do not have such a superstar, but they have several talented players who continue to gain momentum. Among those who have already been with the team for several seasons, Ivan Demidov particularly stands out, confidently leading the NHL rookie scoring race. The Russian has 39 points in 46 games, and he collected his last three in a home game against the Vancouver Canucks, which the side comfortably won (6:3). He played on the same line as Juraj Slafkovsky, who also recorded three points (1+2). The Slovak has eight points in his last five games. Under Martin St. Louis, the team as a whole have picked up a good pace (7-2-1) and are firmly in the play-off positions.
Washington Capitals vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction
Given this pace, it is tempting to back the Montreal Canadiens straight away, but we still should not rush into that. The Washington Capitals are not particularly welcoming hosts (13-8-3 at home). Both teams rank in the top ten for average goals scored and average more than three goals per game, so they should again go over the total goals line.
