Washington Capitals goalie Logan Thompson (48) made a save while Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) waited for a chance at the rebound during the first period of Friday night’s playoff game in Montreal, April 25, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi)
The Bell Centre erupted in pure hockey madness on Friday night as the Montreal Canadiens brought down the Washington Capitals 6-3 in a heated Game 3, giving their home fans a show that will be talked about for years.
This was Montreal’s first playoff game in front of a full crowd since 2017, and fans were ready. From the first drop of the puck to the final buzzer, the energy was overwhelming — the kind that rattles the boards and shakes the rafters. Deafening “Go Habs Go!” chants greeted the players, and the anthem was nearly drowned out by the roar of 21,000 loyal fans.
The Canadiens fed off that energy. They came in trailing the series 2-0 and knew this was a must-win. The team delivered with a mix of raw emotion, heavy hits, and crowd-thumping goals. Six different players scored, including Cole Caufield, Christian Dvorak, and captain Nick Suzuki, proving this wasn’t a one-man show — it was a full-team charge.
But it wasn’t just the goals that had fans on their feet.
Midway through the game, tensions exploded. Canadiens forward Josh Anderson got into a fierce scrap with Washington’s Tom Wilson that tumbled into the Capitals' bench. After some shoving between Wilson and Montreal defenseman Arber Xhekaj, Anderson stepped in — only to fall backwards into the open bench door. Wilson followed, pushing past a linesman as the crowd went wild. It was a moment straight out of a playoff highlight reel.
"You're just trying to stand up for your teammates," Anderson said later.
Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault had to leave with an injury in the second period after stopping 11 of 13 shots. Rookie Jakub Dobes stepped in and kept the Capitals from gaining ground. On the other end, Capitals goalie Logan Thompson also exited after a painful collision with his own teammate, Dylan Strome. His exit came right after Juraj Slafkovsky scored to make it 5-3.
Game 3 had everything — grit, passion, injuries, and goals. Cole Caufield’s second-period goal put Montreal up 3-2 heading into the third. Though Alex Ovechkin tied it up early in the final frame, Montreal stormed back. Dvorak’s lucky bounce gave them the lead again, and Slafkovsky's finish moments later sealed it.
Then, with the clock winding down, Alex Newhook buried a power-play goal to make it 6-3. As the fans erupted in chants of “Olé, Olé,” the Canadiens had done what they needed — breathe life back into the series.
“This was something crazy,” said Slafkovsky. “The fans, the energy, the moment — I’ll never forget this.”
The Canadiens now trail the series 2-1, but momentum has clearly shifted. Game 4 returns to the Bell Centre on Sunday night, and if Game 3 was any sign, Montreal is more than ready to turn this series around.
