WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MONTREAL

Looking for the best spots in town to watch Game 3 with your friends and fellow Habs fans? Come feel the playoff energy at one of three watch parties in Montreal:

• Be sure to stop by the Fan Jam presented by La Cage in La Cour Rio Tinto outside the Bell Centre for the largest outdoor watch party in town. Showing up outside might also land you the chance to get inside, as the Fan Jam will be giving away a pair of tickets for Game 3.
• L’espace 1909, a 17,000-square foot event space adjacent to the Bell Centre, will be hosting an exclusive not-to-be-missed, catered watch party on Friday. Tickets are required and can be purchased here.

For more details on where to watch Habs games through the playoffs, visit the canadiens.com Playoff Central page or click here.

Fans attending Games 3 and 4 are encouraged to be in their seats by 6:50 p.m. on Friday and 6:20 p.m. on Sunday. Tonight’s anthem singer is Alexandre Sylvestre, while Sunday’s is Gideon Zelermyer.

PLAYOFF 50/50 RAFFLE

The Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation’s 50/50 raffle continues throughout Round 1 of the playoffs! All tickets sold—during both home and away games—will be combined into a single cumulative jackpot, starting at a guaranteed $250,000. Once that amount is reached, the pot will keep growing until the end of the final game of the series against the Capitals.

Bonus tickets are also available as an add-on, giving you the chance to win one of 10 additional prizes, including $10,000 in cash, a pair of tickets to a Habs game, a Brendan Gallagher’s game-worn home jersey from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and more.

To view the full list of prizes or to buy tickets, visit 5050.canadiens.com. Must be 18+ and physically located in the province of Quebec at the time of purchase.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Feed off the Bell Centre energy

It’s no secret — the Bell Centre is the most electric building in the National Hockey League and that atmosphere is expected to reach new heights on Friday. The Canadiens must feed off the crowd’s energy without letting emotions get the best of them as they chase a series comeback starting in Game 3.

For what it’s worth, home teams are 14-6 in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff ahead of tonight’s slate.

Control the special teams battle

Numerically, the Habs have “lost” the special teams battle so far. But with such a small sample size, it’s hard to pin the difference in the series on the single extra missed power play opportunity.

That said, staying disciplined will be important for Martin St-Louis’ side as the series shifts to their home arena. And when they do get their chance on the power play, making it count could be the game-changer.

Limit Washington’s high-danger looks

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Capitals hold a 27-16 edge in high-danger scoring chances through two games. Without Samuel Montembeault’s outstanding play, both games could’ve been out of reach well before the third period — exactly the time when Montreal has come alive.

The Habs have out-chanced Washington 7-1 in HDSC in the final frame, but 20 minutes of stellar hockey won’t cut it in the playoffs. If they can bring that same urgency to every period as they have in the third, their chances of winning Game 3 rise significantly.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Regular season

Oct. 31 @ WSH: 6-3 WSH

Dec. 7 @ MTL: 4-2 WSH

Jan. 10 @ WSH: 3-2 MTL (OT)

Playoffs

Game 1 | Apr. 21 @ WSH: 3-2 WSH (OT)

Game 2 | Apr. 23 @ WSH: 3-1 WSH

BY THE NUMBERS: CAPS-HABS

Here’s how the Capitals and Canadiens match up by the numbers: