Alex Ovechkin scored his 33rd career hat trick and added an assist, and the Washington Capitals beat the Canadiens 8-4 in Montreal on Thursday night.
Ovechkin extended his goal streak to four games in the first meeting between the teams since Washington eliminated Montreal four games to one in a Stanley Cup Playoff first-round series last April. Ovechkin has 907 NHL goals, including 10 this season.
Ethen Frank had two goals and two assists, and Sonny Milano scored twice for the Capitals, who have won three straight, including a 7-4 win against the Oilers on Wednesday. Dylan Strome had three assists, and Charlie Lindgren made 24 saves.
Mike Matheson and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who have lost five in a row. Sam Montembeault was lifted after allowing three goals on 10 shots. Jakub Dobes made 21 saves.
Ovechkin gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal one minute into the game, scoring from the slot after Strome steered the face-off to him.
Brendan Gallagher tied it 1-1 at 15:47, knocking in the rebound of Noah Dobson’s shot on a power play.
Frank put Washington ahead 2-1 at 2:00 of the second period, beating Montembeault with a wrist shot from the slot during a power play.
Frank struck again at 3:38, scoring with a wrist shot from the left circle on the rush.
Joe Veleno pulled the Canadiens within 3-2 at 7:53, scoring far side with a one-timer from the right circle after a cross-ice pass from Gallagher.
Jakob Chychrun was left alone in the high slot and blasted a shot past Dobes to make it 4-2 at 14:26.
Nick Suzuki quickly got one back when he scored on a rebound to pull the Canadiens within 4-3 at 15:04.
Milano eluded a Montreal defenseman on the rush and beat Dobes to make it 5-3 at 17:25.
Matheson scored on a one-timer from the high slot at 5:37 of the third period to cut the Washington lead to 5-4.
Ovechkin scored off a pass from Strome on a 2-on-1 rush at 16:03 to make it 6-4 and then scored into an empty net at 17:56.
Milano scored at 18:34 for the 8-4 final.
