learn more at supportyourvet.org. >> mealtime was shortenedded by board room baltzs, which left this net minder to get his just deserts. now d.c. lands in montreal. hot bed of hockey tradition. the price was right, eight days ago. tonight, a high-priced fare must be paid on comcast sportsnet. >> joe: it's a holiday weekend

back home. always a party here. comcast sportsnet presents the nhl. this evening the capitals crossing to canada. for a battle against the canadiens who did them wrong last week. so nice to see you again, i'm joe beninati along with craig laughlin. the washington capitals are believed to be one of the most exciting teams in the nhl and as time goes by, more and more people are getting more excited about semyon varlamov. >> craig: joe, a team's success starts between the pipes and the caps have a great young russian net minder right now. semyon says there's three things he wants to accomplish. he wants a stanley cup, he wants to win an olympic gold and he wants to win rookie of the year. he is on his way for all three things, the way he has been playing, 25 saves versus the sabres. the caps kept the volume of shots down and to the outside. he records his first regular season shut-out. >> joe: of the russians who have tended goal in the big leagues varlamov's career is off to a great start.

>> craig: through 17 games for any russian net minder. >> joe: well said by you. bruce boudreau chimed in with this review of his 21-year-old net minder. >> the ottawa game where he gave up four goals and he was great. there were three deflection goals. i don't think he's given up more than two in november. he's really getting comfortable, i think, in the nhl with the lifestyle of the road, and at home and the media attention. so, his future is so bright. >> joe: so the goalie has been a big hit. while alex ovechkin definitely makes part of his living throwing his weight around. sometimes good, sometimes for bad. >> craig: alex ovechkin doesn't ever turn away from a hit if he can give one. there is no turn aways for alex. he kabongs guys on every inch of the ice. he is looking for the puck but when a guy passes he is looking to crunch you.

he does a lot of good stuff, some bad stuff. he got nailed for this a couple years ago against the sabres. that cost him a 5 and the game. the boys in buffalo weren't happy. last game against the sabres, same old trooper alex ovechkin. here is the hit on kaletta, who i still believe went down was cut by probably the visor. alex got a 5, a 10 and a game when i think he deserved a deuce. >> joe: the great 8's wrap sheet nowhere long as his list of scoring achievements. >> craig: nowhere near to close to yours, either. 14 high sticks, interference, slashes, roughs, chargings. all the type of things i'd love to do to you. >> joe: have you been checking up on me? moving forward to some guys who play in back. one in particular. brian pothier who has been deserving of some promising and positive mentions for weeks now. >> craig: comfortable and confident, joe. the thing about hockey, when you get played more, you play better, it seems.

one assist his first 13 games, now he's rocking up the points because he's taking the body, he's joining the rush, he's finishing checks all over the ice. that one against buffalo. that was old school dennis or scott see mons. he is playing his best hockey as a appoint. >> slice and dice these totals. >> craig: 11 points in november. averaging over 19 and a half minutes. his ice up over three minutes from october. that's because of all the injuries on the back line. he's a guy that has grabbed the bull by the horns and taken advantage of the opportunity. >> joe: the capitals saw these canadiens last week in d.c., and mike cammalleri has adapted very well to this new red, white and blue color scheme for himself. >> craig: they brought him in to be a gun slinger. last year 39 goals 82 points. really he hasn't disappointed. one of the key guys in the overhaul and he's helped out

>> the overhaul as you can see has been significant. >> craig: well four of them have been banged up over all. but cammalleri, gem ma, gomez won't play tonight and moen. >> he was great against ovechkin last well. >> so good with body position. he is strong on the puck. a bomb of a shot on the power play. he will be out there every time alex hits the ice. >> joe: it's saturday night and north of the border that means hockey night in canada. we have extra work to do before face-off. the keys to the game next on csn. tools are uncomplicated? nothing complicated about a pair of 10 inch hose clamp pliers. you know what's complicated? shipping. shipping's complicated. not really. with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service shipping is easy. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. that's not complicated. come on.

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at autismspeaks.org. early diagnosis can make a lifetime of difference. >> joe: comcast sportsnet coverage of capitals hockey brought to you by geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. visit them at geico.com or call 1-800-947-auto. and by toyota. where quality, dependability, and good mpg all come standard. visit buyatoyota.com for more information. toyota, moving forward. >> joe: a nice night in downtown montreal. >> craig: cold and crisp. pre-game festive tees in full effect inside of bell center in montreal. >> joe: joe beninati, craig laughlin with you as we ease our way towards the opening face off tonight. locker, let's spell out some keys to the game. the four keys for the capitals. >> craig: the caps will have to be physical. they're going to have to hit

them hard, 1kwr0e69 it will be so critic that they hit by committee. the second one is may hem in motion. they can't ever stop skating and need to put this team on their heels. >> joe: normally when the caps play physically they are at their best. >> craig: everybody has involved. here is a great hit how object that. oche condition getting involved. he loves playing in montreal. defensemen have to do a lot of pinching and finishing here tonight. >> joe: now, it was just a little over a week ago that we witnessed montreal play a very strict system to frustrate d.c. moving into this one what do they need to get done for a repeat? >> joe: jacques martin is going to have to play the match game show. he has to have the right guys out against ovechkin and the nick backstrom line. he has changes which should be a positive. their last game at pittsburgh under 20. they need more against varly.

>> joe: the canadiens thought their forwards were excellent against ovechkin but honestly it was the blue line pair that was top notch. >> craig: look at ovechkin's numbers then look at hamrlik and spacek. they have to work hard against alex ovechkin. jacques martin told us this more than it's more by committee. it's five guys, look for the line to be line to be matched up against ov's line. >> joe: the capitals have been getting a steady diet of canadian teams. they have been playing outside of the southeast division for weeks. they finally get to see one of their own in a couple days' time. when they square off against the canadiens they look forward to an up tempo type match-up when jacques martin doesn't want to play running guns. >> craig: he doesn't want to but the caps can get a team on their heels on the road they can set the tempo and the type of game they want to play. they have to be the table dressers tonight. if montreal sets the table it will be slow pace and under

control. that won't work for the caps. >> joe: blue, blanc, and rouge hit the ice to thundering applause. now let's scan the entire eastern conference. >> craig: new jersey, washington, ottawa, pittsburgh, boston and buffalo climbing up. how about atlanta? the thrashers one of the highest scoring teams in the nhl. of all the teams in the southeast, they're the one team that puts a little scare into you. just because they may be able to match the fire power of the caps. >> joe: you can tell how ex sill rating it is inside bell center. we were talking with the capitals earlier today about the excitement level whenever you come north of the border but especially here. the atmosphere is pretty much incomparable. >> craig: i don't even have to have a smelling salt tonight. sometimes i do. the players don't need any energy drinks. it's montreal. one of the meccas of the game of hockey. it's loud as can be here already. before the puck has even

dropped. >> it will always be a special place for seemian varlamov. semyon varlamov. one season go in december he authored his first ever nhl win at the expense of the canadiens. he tries to duplicate that' tonight. this outstanding young net minder will make his fourth straight start for your washington capitals. we'll step aside. we honor america and canada with the singing of our national anthems. ♪ oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light. ♪ what so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming. ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight . ♪ oer the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streams. ♪ and the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air.

♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. ♪ oh, say does that star- spangled banner yet wave. ♪ oer the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [! oh, canada [ singing in french ]

. ♪ god keep our land, glorious and free, oh, canada, we stand on god for thee. ♪ oh, canada we send on god for thee. [ cheers and applause ] >> bravo. the singing of the national anthems of the united states and canada. bruce boudreau, ready to bark out the signals from behind the

washington bench. his caps come into tonight's action with a mark of 14-5-6. those 34 points are good for 1st in the southeast division. squaring off with montreal fourth best in the northeast. 12-12-1 and these caps have been seeing a lot of the canadian squads. >> craig: yeah. 31 wins on their slate last season, 3 above 500, joe, 8-5, 2. a loud building, a tough place to play on the road. the caps have to be prepared at the drop of the puck tonight. >> joe: referees today, we are under way with washington in the white sweaters. >> craig: carl olsner getting the start on defense along with jurcina. carey price watches this one ring around the boards and behind his goal. fleischmann with matthew perreault and chris clark to get things going up front for d.c. josh gorges keeping an eye

on perreault. here comes across for jurcina. they work the cycle. perreault hails from germanville question beck. >> craig: a lot of tickets bought by the players. the first time in a long while that all the tickets left for the visiting team are gone. they were actually short by about 10 tickets and some of the players couldn't get tickets for their buddies or friends. >> joe: everybody wants to see the guy who just gave up the puck alex ovechkin comes across. a back hander and a stick save for semyon varlamov. backstrom just one assist in the last seven games threw a penalty. montreal shorthanded in the game's second minute. >> craig: i think it's going to be the hold with nick backstrom got a sec on him. to jacques martin's team goes shorthanded. actually pacioretty gets the call. watch him down low.

the left hand and the right hand in the belly and off goes pacioretty. cap goes to an early power play. >> joe: washington has not tallied in its last four games a man up. they did not have a power play chance last time against the buffalo sabres in what turned out to be a victory on home saiz. a little ride in his own defensive zone. and shrugs it down. >> craig: it's arguably their mvm so far to this date in the season. he's done a little bit of everything for the montreal canadiens. >> joe: ovechkin fires and he police officered that one. 10 feet wide. >> craig: he has to get his sights set here in montreal. too anxious when he teed that baby up on a nice drop pass from nick backstrom. >> joe: mike green gliding through center. on for backstrom once more crisscross with clark. o'byrne pounces on it for montreal and over the head of green back onto the washington side.

these capitals 0-10 in the last four outings. and you saw at the bottom there, marked in red, got to go back to '02 to find the last game that they did not have a man advantage chance like they did against the sabres. hamrlik scoops it away. didn't get it through ovechkin who settles. green, looking for the deflection off the boot of brooks laich. the point position ovechkin fires. a bite out of hamrlik. >> he made the mistake and then comes through. an excellent block. hamrlik throughout his career close to 1000 blocked shots. he is moving right up. i think that was 994 for roman hamrlik. >> joe: leads the canadiens this year. as mara guides him to the glass. eric fehr chisels one back to point position. 22 seconds with which to work on the power play. as we near the three-mark of a scoreless first here with the nhl on comcast sportsnet.

brian lake, back to varlamov's neighborhood. >> joe: joe, i know you love the power plays early but it sometimes cannot be a positive because you aren't into the game. the guys haven't been on the ice. haven't got your wheels or hands. then the power play and the momentum can shift. this is a good penalty kill by the halfs here early in the first. >> craig: beagle was setting the screen. you're seeing the line combinations tonight for the capitals. that power play went awry. locker without a shot on carey price. >> craig: i'm not sure you want one early on. >> joe: bradley took his eyes off of that for a community and chick clue has it for montreal. >> joe: later in the game he won't miss a pass like that. >> joe: and price makes the save on steckel, and he'll hold.

>> craig: that was a break away for steekal and he doesn't pick it up -- for steckel and he doesn't pick it up. here it is off his left foot. watch the nice pass by beingal and there is the redirect opportunity by steckels, who just works so hard. feeling the pressure and the heat i think, joe. personally, from not scoring some goals. >> joe: 27-year-old sixth year pro has been focusing on doing all the other little things he can do defensively and especially at the face off. alexander giroux hails from hail quebec city. >> craig: lucky guy tonight. >> joe: icing call against washington. lapierre. [ speaking in french ] >> craig: ok. for the caps i know what you said varlamov gets the nod looking for his 10th win on the road. carey price also hot in his own right looking for his8 win.

jacques martin told us this more than price is so laid back he is finding a balance between being that competitive guy and that relaxed guy. as he spyings for spa keek to come back. >> craig: we were sitting behind him in practice. he looks nonchalant. i said man can:he ever side the puck. side to side positionally he is as sound as they get this young net minder here in montreal. >> joe: at times it looks like he is played the game seated in a rocking chair. he is just so poised. and composed. guns this one off the glass to max pacioretty. pacioretty will flex it back to center as we near the five minute mark in this scoreless 1st period. both teams back to full strength. ovechkin hooking away from spacek touches one wide of the goal. trying to catch price napping there. fires that one, a blazer over

top of the net minder's head. spacek rolls the center. schultz on patrol. washington continuing to miss the services of blue liner tom poti. and shaone morrisonn. morrisonn was on the trip but not bad after that head injury. >> craig: it's a bad sign when some guys didn't even make this trip tonight and then monday against carolina. like poti, alexander semin. have to be back home to train, which just lengthens their time that they will be out. sounds like no time too soon for either of those guys. >> joe: hard hitting along the wall. it's bounced free for perreault, and fleischmann works the other direction. clark. shifting back behind the net. lapierre is there. tying upper row whose favorite canadian when he was growing up was koivu. i think he likes small guys, right? as would indicate.

with st. louis, some of his boy hood heroes. green. puts that one on the lip of the boards. the hard-shooting bergeron taps it away and wyman will maneuver through center. wyman a four year product of the ivey league at dartmouth. >> craig: nice to see him in the nhl. a late pick for this montreal team. had to actually play down in the american league in the east coast league last year, joe. a good story for a kid out of college. >> joe: 15 games in cincinnati at the echl. fehr delivers it too strongly for laich. working back to center, chipchura getting help from jay leach. not the caps' former assistant coach, but a relative. >> joe: >> craig: yes. jay leach's brother's son who gets the nod here tonight. >> joe: brother chris. >> craig: he is actually playing forward. by schooling, he's a defenseman. he's bounced around with several organizations in the nhl, but seems to have found a home here as a versatile guy for the canadiens. >> joe: whistle off sides

against washington. 6:45 gone by. brooks laich's first ever nhl marker within this building against denny. we will step away, we will have you back to montreal in just a few moments looking for the first red light. ♪ get ready for pizzeria-style pizza... from your own oven. it's new red baron fire baked crust pizza. ♪ fire baked for a crispy crust,

just like at the pizzeria. red baron fire baked crust. crispy, pizzeria-style pizza your family loves. new red baron fire baked crust pizza. in family size and single serve. bring home that pizzeria taste. and not what you get? like electricity, for gadget power at your seat. room to stretch your legs... and your wingspan. food when you're hungry... and taking off your shoes only if you feel like it. these aren't luxuries, they're basics. get them back on acela. amtrak guest rewards members earn double points this fall for any trip on amtrak. details at amtrak.com >> joe: the sell-out figure in this building is 21,273. there are more than that tonight. caps/canadiens no score.

toyota 1 to watch. alexander giroux and tomas. >> craig: giroux plays with back patrolman. objection to mechanic one of their best players on a one year deal looking to be an unrestricted free agent. racking up the points after a sub bar year last year. >> joe: david steckel the draw against glen metropolit. he was talking about metropolit getting low and being heavy on his stick much heavier than let's saito mass plekanec. >> craig: that was a good win for metropolit. didn't he lose all of one draw? >> joe: 14-1 in fact. >> craig: pretty good night. >> joe: metropolit met skidding to a -- metropolit skidding to the scope. varlamov didn't see the rebound and he hustles to the post. he will cover and gets the whistle in time. >> craig: the boards are fast here in montreal as are the dashers and that baby came

right off. good keeping pressure against varly. varly, very good when the puck is low along the ice next to the posts. watch this. kicked back to the point. everybody in red goes to the net but notice 3 on 3 in front, joe. pretty good job defensively. each guy had a montreal canadien, even if the puck was going to come free. not much room there. >> joe: varlamov save percentage numbers in november. better than 94 among the nhl leaders league wide. he makes this his fourth straight start. joe hey theodore who sent 10 seasons in the canadiens organization is the backup. >> craig: one of its best you would have to say when he was the mvp of the national hockey league. >> joe: 2001-2002. ovechkin racing in fires, blocked by spacek. ovechkin back to point position. there is green. long wrister deflected down. the riccochet to the corner where plekanec will gobble it up. the last time these two teams met it was ovechkin's second game from injury.

he said he was sleepy and sluggish in that one. >> craig: well he's not against the sabres and to start this game he has been firing. he needs to hone in his sights tonight. >> joe: backstrom to the middle on the throw to ovechkin. tried to go back to green. hamrlik was in the way. >> craig: one key to the game i talked about may hem motion. and motion creates mayhem. the caps have got to continue to use those overlaps. >> joe: laich pouncing on one and he rips it to price, who extends that left pad. brendan morrison. slowing the tempo. pothier drills one wide of the goal. mike cammalleri with one hand on the bin laden back to neutral, and further still. morrisonn lined up there, finished off by ryan white. john erskine ready to go for d.c. the 29-year-old ontario native. bangs it off the boards, the set play down the dasher for laich. laich was back hand and prepared to fire and he missed

the mark. airfare had one against price. and score! he's got another one tonight! eric fehr! >> craig: just a great deflection. he slowed the puck down when he got a piece of that snapshot from the point, and that puck trickles between the pads of carey price. he thought it was going to the right side. went between the wicketts. eric fehr is on a little roll for the caps. wonderful deflection, starts with a shot that's right. look at the d. up to the line and then just fire it at the net and there's the hands of the big rig. eric fehr deflecting it. the caps on the board first here in montreal and their second shot of the game. >> joe: 8:47 the time of the tally. eric fehr who posted a marker in the third peter against buffalo. notches his fifth overall in the campaign. washington, the first period continues to work like a charm for them.

see how they protect the advantage through the balance. near the midway mark of the opening quarter. joe beninati, craig laughlin with you from bell senor in montreal. >> craig: is this the 20th game that the caps have scored first? >> joe: time after time, locker, and with missed results here and there. they have not been a jugger not per se when jumping to the lead. travis moen played a fine game against washington eight days ago dumps it in. jurcina back in the lineup a couple nights ago when they squared off with the sabres. >> craig: they played together last year and found instant chemistry. in fact, at one point boudreau said alter's play was fabulous. i think he had great comfort getting back with jurcina and they performed very well. >> joe: they wanted to ease into it with it will be milan's first game back. made all the simple plays. mike green doing that. rewinding for backstrom. he has ovechkin to the left.

ovechkin fires and scores! an absolute dart! >> craig: and carey price still doesn't see the puck. it went right under the back bar and in. i thought it was still stuck in there. the linesman hasn't even got it out yet. and carey price is still looking for it, but it's behind the middle bar. it went in so fast past the blocker's side. alex ovechkin has his18 of the season. a great isolation, and that is everything into that baby. here it comes. and there it is. and look where it sits there. i love that. right there in the middle of the back of the net. the goalie looking around, hoping he could find it, joe, and thought maybe it hit the post and i got lucky. that's not the case. the caps have called a time out. the caps up by a pair. jacques martin wants to calm down his team. >> joe: first words out of his mouth no shooting gallery type

game with the caps. they haven't listened so far. >> craig: 1 on threw trying to beat the caps defenders. here it comes. 3 on 3. notice spacek, though, backing up. he didn't want to commit to alex ovechkin, considering the pass might have came. he laid off him, and then that was the shot that just burned their goalie carey price. >> joe: canadiens' coaches continuing to take their team into the classroom. alex ovechkin, bruce boudreau said about him his history in four plus seasons after he has a so-so game against one team, history tells you he responds with a vengeance. ovechkin with a blistering shot there. the caps are plus 20 as you can see in the 1st period. two tallies, 1:12 apart. this has taken some of the starch out of the sell-out crowd in montreal. plekanec brushes it in deep. varlamov instruction to schultz.

bergeron pitching in. he's caught. beagle the other way. 3 on 2 if they moved it wisely the passing wasn't very good. cammalleri coming to help. steckel working along the goal line and o'byrne floats it away. still not out of the washington offensive zone. bradley knocked down to the deck. referees play on. watson, steckel just missed and knocked the net from the moorings and we hear the whistle. >> craig: just pad the midway mark of the opens period the capitals in good form and alex ovechkin with his shooting stroke a blazer past carey price. 2-0 caps. boss: ah! thank goodness you're back. gecko: what's going on, sir? boss: we're slammed. tons of people interested in all the money they could be saving by switching to geico...

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>> joe: eric fehr likes it against atlanta and apparently against montreal, too. >> craig: the last meeting how about that shot right over the catching glove and here tonight great play by alzner keeping it this, just snapping the puck towards the net. eric fehr out to force a screen deflects it down between the pads. eric fehr on the board. alex ovechkin on the board. the caps up 2-0. >> joe: fehr from alzner and laich at 8:47. ovechkin's 18th from backstrom and giroux, 9:59. and brendan morrison covered up by paul mara. metropolit on the back of laich. laich's pass not through. wing to wing in moen. gorges joining the rush. moen using that big body along

the wall. the pass didn't go to a friendly team. laich on the dump in. gorges. pinned against the boards. he bounces loose. erskine leaves it back behind carey price. 8:38 to go, opening period in montreal. washington a 2-0 advantage. they'll swing into raleigh for a game on monday night on the interchange fehr back to point poach. wyatt squelched the pothier bid. he will transition. pyatt turning, losing erskine as he bracketed in the corner. lapierre overskates. backstrom has it softly for ovechkin and away comes d.c. alex ovechkin down the wing. a little bit of interference there. >> craig: yeah. and this will be giroux going off to the box. the montreal canadiens have a power play upcoming. >> joe: a shout out to moore cadillac, a proud supporter of

washington hockey. the premier cadillac dealer in the area. where fairfax beats loudon on route 50. you are strongly encouraged to visit them online as mr. giroux grabs a celt. >> craig: a penalty at the far blue line. he takes away spacek knocks him down. he just didn't hold up in time. he was trying to stop, still took out their d and that's why the referee nicked him with a minor for interference. >> joe: canadiens power play near the bottom of the heap in the nhl. they were 1-2 in the game eight days ago. one was a game winner. a strike from cammalleri. >> craig: they just can't score. they haven't had any chemistry. when gomez is out, gene that is gene that gionta is out. >> joe: behind the net

plekanec. on top for bergeron who has a wicked slap shot when he can let it go. cammalleri for bergeron. closing in. looking for a seam that was deflected by jurcina. washington shorthanded another 1:13. bergeron has some room. winds and fires. too high. it is knuckled all the way. mara from point position. cammalleri lets it come through to plekanec. he'll coordinate. and plekanec eyed there by david steckel and carl alzner. cammalleri on the interchange as they rotate. mike cammalleri. for plekanec. nothing doing to the interior of the washington defense. now to metropolit who is locked away. mara with 40 seconds to go on the power play. plekanec passes a bad one and steckel will clear. >> craig: they have brooks like they weren't sure what they wanted to do because the caps were shading bergeron. they were using their reach getting in the lane with the pass back to bergeron. he is actually a good catalyst.

most of his shots are on net, joe. because they're so hard, they can get the thing going. >> joe: holding it along the board. on his feet with morrisonn drawing near. pacioretty getting help. 10 seconds in the minor to giroux. hamrlik on the outside. one timer spot check turned away by schultz. a play for sergei kostitsyn and that did not rite. the youngster kostitsyn working the ball. a knee wrap around, he lost the han ill. hamrlik settles. spacek fires. pass varlamov without his goalie stick and he will cover. frantic action around the young net minder who continues to keep the canadiens at bay.

>> joe: capitals with a two-0 league in quebec. ovechkin the last man on the board. the caps throughout their time have had some very, very good quebec born players. guy sheron began his career here. >> craig: and put up the most points in caps history from a quebec born player. my line mate for many seasons right up there along with the others. >> joe: ovechkin on the board with help from eric fehr.

washington has a 2-0 advantage in their white sweaters. this one comes the length of the pond when o'byrne gets back there you'll hear the whistle for icing. >> craig: jacques martin trying to get his troops gone has already used his timeout after the caps jump to a 2-0 lead. two goals on three shots, 15th season as an nhl coaches first with the montreal canadians. 529 witness for jacques martin. [ cheers and applause ] . >> joe: amazing. oh, so busy on his resume. perreault putting on pressure for bergeron. matthew perreault said he'd be a little more nervous for this game than most, playing so please to home. he's at the top of the floor check right now. methodically the canadiens maneuver through center. o'byrne's pass turned away. >> craig: that's because the

method ill defense by the caps show whether they're able to cut off the board, the first three shift the canadiens to where they want them to go. that's why erskine and company have just turned the puck over time after time against montreal in this situation. >> joe: caps trying to give the canadiens some of their own medicine. when montreal jumped to a lead last week they were very structured in preventing the caps from getting back into it. washington already with a 2-0 advantage, a lead that they earned before the game was 10 minutes old. carl alzner, on target for backstrom. slicing between defenders, giroux fans on that one. has to hustle back into a defensive posture now. plekanec didn't get it deep. >> craig: i think he felt the back side pressure from alex ovechkin and knew he had to dump it and really had gitters with the puck rather than -- jitters with the puck rather than getting it into to cough it to the blue liners. >> joe: hamrlik back to montreal. bruce boudreau in the midst of

an line change. pacioretty working the wings. kostitsyn, big brother andrei is out on the shelf injured. fro gorse >> craig: about six caps out. a lot of guys out between these two teams. >> joe: not a good time for canadiens fans today. a rocket from mara. gorges giving some ground. he finds metropolit. sneaky sick handler at center. not going to beat green there. bradley dumps it in. wyman put a bump into him. 3:15 away from net star one intermission live are we on comcast sportsnet. so glad you tuned in with washington in front by 2. chipchura bumped, stayed with it for a moment then wings the puck battle and chips it into the spectator's seats.

you matthew perreault for the washington capitals a rookie on this roster and miss plus/minus is quite good. >> craig: a lot of people say as a center you're first back helping with the d. he has such good skating ability and solid positioning. that's why his plus/minus is right up there with a nice round class of rookies in the nhl. >> joe: eric fehr de flects it to carey price. his deflection put washington on the board first. fehr with points in four of the last five outings. brendan morrison stone walled in tight. morrisonn collects his feed taken away by o'byrne who will launch it to center. on the run cammalleri against pothier. cammalleri waiting for reinforcements. here they come. maxim lapierre.

one more as he tried to burrow his way to the front. brendan morrison out of his own zone with help from brian pothier. he will whistle one in from center so the caps can complete a line change. laich with a take away. then he lost it to plekanec. off the glass to the waiting pyatt for center. rumbles into ovechkin who tries to break through. spacek. ovechkin curl and drag move. has it on his back hand, cradles one, fires it wide of the goal. >> craig: and the fans appreciate that. they came to watch alex the great here tonight in montreal. >> joe: price made a save on backstrom as ovechkin continues the cycle. throws it back for alzner. his gags is blocked. to the front. the wrap around pass from backstrom is unanswered. and spacek will have enough time not to get it out yet. giroux, working the dasher boards. alexander giroux. grew up hating the canadiens

while rooting for the northeast. made a bad pass there. spacek will send it center. >> craig: they had good clubs when joe sacek started. gullette starred there. >> joe: huge numbers for ovechkin against the canadiens. a few moments ago he brought the habs fans out of their feet. >> craig: look at these danger ills right here. great work by ovechkin ripped that low and wide after he danger illed a couple of canadiens. >> joe: one minute to go in a good looking first period for d.c. fleischmann. the reel lie just off target for chris clark. clark badgered by gorges. metropolit. rough housing with clark the stiff arm at him. metropolit skips it to center.

40 left in the opening period. net star one intermission live soon to roll. green angling his way three center. loops it in. more fresh troops over the boards for washington. paul mara plays the dasher board off the neck of sergei kostitsyn. bradley in transition. beagle waits. blocked by gorges. 15 seconds to go in the period right now, four in the scrum. referee asking for them to move it. 7 seconds left and pyatt gets it back to the washington side and that does it for one-third of regulation. the capitals and the strength of tallies from fehr and ovechkin a 2-0 leader on the road. >> craig: joe a terrific period overall from varly on out to some guys up front that delivered for the caps goal scoring. textbook defense, and all three

zones had the canadiens really reeling from the start. >> craig: >> joe: caps technically only four shots on goal that first period. perreault and giroux, they interviewed craig laughlin and vice versa. we'll share that with you during netstar 1 intermission live. highlights and staffs and lock her even work the tele, if it cooperates. i haven't even seen you work on that yet. >> craig: because i know it's all set up. >> joe: you are such a sneak. ovechkin and fehr on the board. more to come in a moment on csn. and not what you get? like electricity, for gadget power at your seat. room to stretch your legs... and your wingspan. food when you're hungry... and taking off your shoes only if you feel like it. these aren't luxuries, they're basics. get them back on acela. amtrak guest rewards members earn double points this fall for any trip on amtrak.

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>> joe: once again the washington capitals shining in the 1st period of a hockey game. tonight north of the border in montreal, quebec canada. after 20 minutes a 2-0 advantage over the canadiens on the strength of goals from eric fehr and alex ovechkin. those two tallies 72 seconds apart. it's 2-0 for the good guys from d.c. as we continue with netstar 1 intermission live. alexander giroux mathieu perreault about to be brought into focus. locker, do the honors, sil vous plait. >> craig: merci, craig. all right. matthew perreault, alex giroux. is this the pinnacle of hockey or what this >> it's awesome. i look around before the game and all the fans are the flags and painting their faces. it's crazy to be in montreal

today. >> joe: your first game, right matthieu? >> exactly. a special moment for me. >> craig: you both grew up in quebec. your favorite people the nords or the habs? >> i was a big nords fan. i am born and raised in quebec city that was always my fan. >> i was a montreal fan for sure when i grew up. yeah. i don't like the nords. >> so how much for the tickets? come on. >> just a lot. a lot. i got nine tickets i had to buy today. we had to say no to a lot of people. i think matthieu had about 20 and had to cut down to 10. it's been crazy. >> you took all my tickets. i'm an alumni and i couldn't even get one. quebec city, i'm throwing it out here. can we have another nhl team there? >> i hope so. i think it will be great for the province of quebec and the nhl hockey league. i think it will be good for the league. >> oh, i hope so.

i been there for you know, so long, and now they're gone. if they could have a team back it's going to see crazy to see montreal go at it gun. >> you're a pro with this mike and all. have you done this before? >> no, no. i'm looking for a job in a couple years. i'll come back and interview you. >> well, you can't have mine yet, alex, there's a guy upstairs you can have his job. what about going on the ice? do you have to get juiced up or just go? >> i think to know we're in montreal and play against the canadian, if you're not pumped up for that game you never will be. all day and yesterday i think everything is pretty exciting. >> same here. the fans are one of the best in the nhl, and i can't wait to see how it will be. >> craig: favorite players growing up. >> it's got to be sacek. >> i was a briere. >> i heard sacek, too? >> for a canadian he was my favorite player. >> brothers and sisters coming,

too, tonight? >> my whole family, brothers, sister, parents and all my friends. so it will be good. >> same for me. mom and dad and brother. a lot of friends, a lot of people in town. >> craig: i put you on the spot. favorite announcer. >> you for sure. >> matthieu, add to that, too. >> yeah, sure, you. >> craig: not joe, right? >> no, no. >> craig: perfect. >> can you say in french that's it from down here. back up to you, joe. [ speaking in french ] >> he said it, so -- >> joe: merci. nice job, fellows. we'll be back in a moment. for netstar 1 intermission live.

welcome home, man. >> joe: a season go the washington capitals split two games here at bell center. tonight they're trying to get a leg up on the season series at least on the road and they have a 2-0 advantage over the host

canadiens. joe beninati, craig laughlin with you for intermission live. what did washington do so well in that opening period? >> craig: mostly their defense but i thought they did a great job of' stacking it up and standing up against the canadiens. in that period the montreal canadiens, all they did is throw it off the boards, bank shots and the caps defense erskine in particular, did a great job holding the line. when we look at the highlights you'll see getting to the line to get the first goal. >> joe: 1st periods continue to be magical for washington. the geico highlights as locker was asking and begging and pleading for, washington gets on the board first. >> craig: a good play eric fehr rips one live but alzner up to the line. the shot comes and right back into the slot comes eric fehr who does a nice deflection. the goaltender hoping for a hard shot actually just changed direction and slowed down and beat him between the pads. >> joe: that's fehr from alzner and laich. >> craig: this one no one will

stop. forget about it. a wicked sizzling slap shot. spacek lays off alex ovechkin. you can hear it. carey price was hoping the ball game out the other side. >> joe: these game stats are presented by the washington area chevy dealers. >> craig: low shots, low scoring chances. lots of blocked shots for the habs. the habs out hitting the caps and even after all the stats look pretty good for the habs. the caps out skated montreal and that was the difference after 20. >> joe: saturday night in montreal, hockey night in canada. hockey so far pretty good in the nation's capital back in washington d.c., because your caps have a 2-0 advantage after 20 on csn.

>> joe: there is always a great buzz inside of the bell center. this rink is undeniably one of the loudest and best atmospheres in all the game. the capitals have a 2-0 advantage over the canadiens after 20 minutes as we continue

with netstar 1 intermission live. in this legal seafoods fight of the night bruce boudreau explains just how great the atmosphere is. >> there's not enough adjectives but electric comes to mind. this place will be buzzing from what i've gathered is even the president of the canadiens can't get any tickets, because they're all sold out. if you went by our hotel today, i thought i was giving my age away but i thought the beatles were staying in the hotel because there were mobs and mobs of people just yelling and chanting ovie's name from 3:00 on. so, i think it's going to be an electric building. >> joe: it really is quite the spectacle to see the caps bus pull up to the hotel, to see the autograph seekers flock towards ovechkin and friends. washington has a 2-0 advantage over montreal. craig laughlin tells us about network season. >> craig: it's the giving season, isn't it? call me at 443-618-7092, for

any players from 12 and up that want to take their game to the next level. we provide all the necessary services in a neat environment at the piney orchard ice arena, june, july and august on and off ice work. >> joe: act now and lock her take 60% off the price. no, no. just kidding. [ laughter ] >> craig: the telestrator, please. the canadiens notice where they're going with the puck. in trouble up the boards. first guy in backstrom. now they've half iced the canadiens at both ends. the puck is on one side. backstrom squirts it back. unlucky play to cammalleri. hold on. hold it right here. one, two, three, four guys and number13 lucky for him not so lucky on this play. cammalleri tries to beat everybody. the caps off to the races. hold it right here. look at these d men. i love this.

they're directing traffic because the winger is taking the far side guy which means the guy on this side could be open and spacek plays 3 on 3. hold it here. look at where spacek is. he's way back on this play when you look where he is, he is backed up, he is in the lane of the shot and here comes the wicked scorching slap shot. enjoy the journey, acela express. what a journey that was. >> no chance for carey price. imagine the look on linda laughlin's face when i mentioned that 60% off discount. oh, my god they were scared in that household for sure. it's new red baron fire baked crust pizza. ♪ fire baked for a crispy crust, just like at the pizzeria. red baron fire baked crust. crispy, pizzeria-style pizza your family loves. new red baron fire baked crust pizza. in family size and single serve.

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>> joe: our comcast sportsnet coverage of capitals hockey brought to you by american service center and mercedes benz of lex degree i can't. two locations, one packs. mercedes, just mercedes. by morgan franklin, your partners for long-lasting business and technology solutions. and by sport automotive chevrolet and honda. be a sport fan, too.

visit sport automotive.com. i have been coming to this rink for more than a decade. i'm going to say i've maybe had two, two. two goals on the board for the caps. fehr and ovechkin. locker, get us some hot dogs. >> craig: i had my fair share when i played. >> joe: on the bench i bet. >> craig: after practice. when you practiced here there were trays of those waiting for us. the best thing ever when i played hockey was playing in quebec. >> joe: it's all about the bun. >> craig: toasted. love it. >> joe: under way in period 2. >> craig: oh, yeah. >> joe: the guy on billboard was putting lots of mustard on it. this one squeezes through o'byrne. bergeron makes the touch-up in early icing call. lines men tonight. >> craig: see if the canadiens come out of their locker room strong were bergeron minding the point in that 1st period

didn't generate enough shots on their home ice for jacques martin. this isn't a high scoring team. you have to shoot to score. he needs more production from their four lines. >> joe: a week ago, just over a week they took the boards away i thought from the capitals in their win at verizon center. the caps have had things going their way, chris clark will scale in. line change on the fly. kostitsyn roughed i have by jeff schultz. kostitsyn continues his rush back to point position. spacek hammers it wide. almost pinballed into n. off of varlamov. >> craig: the fast boards here. this that was a hard shot from spacek. caps were lucky not to get scored against early. >> joe: hamrlik, below the goal line to cammalleri. turning the corner. waits, then fires. that riccochets to backstrom. cammalleri just missed the mark over to the right shoulder of varlamov.

hiding behind the net plekanec, great save varlamov, he robbed cammalleri. ovechkin with the take away. he's in. alex ovechkin. in tight. in deep. wow! >> craig: great goal tending saves at either end, first varly and then price. what a couple of great saves against cammalleri and then ovie just moments ago. >> joe: travis moen working the wall on for sass rita. even at -- pacioretty. scoring chances at both ends, varlamov getting the call against montreal. in the first meeting it was moyver who was saddled with the loss. pacioretty for gorges. supporting the rush. metropolit towards the front. angled away by pothier. pacioretty and pothier to the wall. erskine locked up there by

white. white into the boards. morrison reverses it. >> craig: good interchange between pothier and erskine working with morrison. good job defensively, interchanging and making sure they had the right assignment. >> joe: metropolit finds laich for a wrister. blunted by erskine. brooks laich working the damager board collared there by gorges. metropolit an arm bar on brendan morrison and away come the red sweaterred canadiens. through neutral, tom pyatt the 22-year-old ontario native. whose dad nelson is in the caps record book. >> craig: a couple of sons of his both play in the nhl, taylor and now nelson's other son here in montreal, joe. >> joe: lapierre for o'byrne. keeping it hot on the outside for wyman. he was stalled by alzner. o'byrne.

reversing his field. >> craig: nelson by the way, joe, is a fireman. >> joe: really? >> craig: yeah. he's a fireman. >> joe: kudos for that. bradley with a wrister deflected by bergeron. chipchura knocked down by beagle. beagle gets the gate. montreal to the man advantage right here. just a few moments ago a thompson creek window of opportunity for the great 8. >> craig: it would have been a three spot, 3-0 and lights out for montreal. bouncing puck at the blue line. not except in and the lights out by the spacek. here comes ovechkin. a lot of shimmying and shaking, and carey price stayed right with him. well done. alex didn't have much of a chance to shoot the puck because of the pressure from behind, and carey price read that very well, denying alex ovechkin. >> joe: price had 32 stops against washington in the first meeting back at verizon center. montreal prevalved 3-2 in that one. these power plays you're about to see are packaged by the ups

store. second chance for montreal. >> craig: only st. louis and the blues have less power play goals than the canadiens. and if you can believe it, the boston bruins, they just have 12 on the season to date. >> joe: that's what you have when you miss mark is a saturday for so long. talented play maker in bean town. >> craig: he's back, right? >> joe: he is. but lucik returned and got hurt again. metropolit tripped up. oh, they play on. [ crowd booing ] . >> joe: oh, that's a goal, thank you very much. i'm going to put up my hand, i'm not. i've given one in the box. >> craig: that should have been a penalty call. >> joe: brad watson, a veteran ref. l. tulei very early in his nhl career allowing the play to continue. montreal's man advantage 1:08. chipchura, laich overskates. that was topped by jurcina right in the shooting lane. milan is hobbled around for a

moment. marc-andre bergeron waiting. gives it up. for chipchura. challenged swiftly by laich. and alzner gets it out with a little help from morrisson. five minutes deep in the second period. this is the nhl on comcast sportsnet. second of four between these two eastern rivals. they won't see each other again until 2010. chipchura looking for pacioretty for kostitsyn. he gets neither of them. alzner. shuffle boards this one down the dasher and bradley pokes it head. steckel one on one with hamrlik. steckel winds and fires, blocked by hamrlik right off his stick. kostitsyn end to end with pacioretty. waiting at the line. hamrlik closes. skids to a stop. feeds it midpoint. he fires, and scores! [ cheers and applause ] .

>> craig: 21,000 plus standing on their feet. spacek who missed the last couple of games, and he just pounds this one on a power play. or just at the end of one. here is the play, joe, look at him get it to the middle. what a shot that is. that's the type of shots that are going to beat goalies tonight. big screen in fortunate. pacioretty, along with one of his line mates and that scorches right past the left shoulder and catching glove, spot check on the board. the habs cut the caps' lead by 1. >> joe: 5:40 the time of the marker, 35 native of the czech republic. spacek did not play in montreal's loss at pittsburgh on wednesday. the last regular season visit ever for montreal to medical melon arena as the penguins are moving into a new building. oh, that one low bridging the washington bench and into the second row of spectators seats. the face off will stay in

montreal's d zone. >> craig: the period started off with chance after chance, and the montreal canadiens, a power play we were talking about struck, because they got shot from the point. and that's the key. get the pucks on net from the points with the screen. spacek did just that. >> joe: the power play tally from hamrlik and pass pacioretty. >> craig: five shots on net doesn't cut it for the caps. they need more shots towards carey price. we're 25 minutes in, joe. five shots when you look at it, not very good so far. >> joe: cammalleri, for mullan. shouldered down by varlamov and gets the rebound behind the goal line. spacek caught in a pinch. ovechkin two on two with alexandre giroux. ovechkin fires and a kneeling price eats that up. alex ovechkin full blast down the wing. washington's lead cut in half.

the power play goal from spacek, who blisters one from point position. the youngster varlamov never saw it until it bulged the net. you ever think about buying a bigger place? just waiting for a visit from the credit fairy. there is no credit fairy. how else will i get a better credit score? look, you keep your credit card balances low and only open a new card if you really need it.

no fairy? announcer: there's no magic to improving your credit. but there's help and it's free. go to creditfairy.org. comedian: stroke's no joke. now there will be no shut-out for washington tonight. spacek making sure of that. 2-1 caps. american service center has its cap for varlamov who did things in reverse. >> craig: two shut outs last year against the rangers.

his first the other night. the 13th nhl goalie to get his first regular season shut-out after registering one in the playoffs. >> joe: washington wins the draw. schultz yanks that. giroux back in the nhl ranks. after a recall from american hockey league or he has been playing with boyd kane at the top development level and producing again. he is the reigning american hockey league's mvp. fans on a saturday night having a sing-song good time at bell center. backstrom a nice look from green. giroux's bid blocked by spacek. along the boards this is travis moen. moen stopped in his tracks by schultz. ovechkin has been skating extremely well tonight. lost the handle there. moen on through pacioretty. who helped out on the monthly trawl power play goal. pacioretty with the assist from

hamrlik. the dump-in from center. metropolit with his head up looking to create. pacioretty down the dasher board. mauled by jurcina. mathieu perreault comes to get him. perreault 3 on two. looking for clark, good back check there by metropolit. the former cap. josh gorges will reverse. mara settles ununder it. pacioretty using the boards to clear. >> craig: pacioretty needs to get a line shift. this line has been out way too long. and he is one guy that needs to get off. >> joe: this one was intended for perreault as he's punched in the mouth by mara, we hear the whistle with price nearby. folks, celebrate the holidays with caps holiday gift packs. two game tickets, a caps winter scarf and gloves, an auto gaffed photo and much more packages starting at $149. 202-266 caps or log on as always to washingtoncapitals.com. >> craig: are they having a

sale with that, too? >> joe: 60% off if you act right now. [ laughter ] . >> joe: that and network hockey. >> craig: you're giving discounts to everybody tonight. >> joe: i'm easy with other people's money. you notice that? sell, sell, sell. brooks laich along the wall. that one exploded off his stick. caps reorganize at center. brendan morrison back to the center. erskine loads one up. that was high. pothier for fehr. keep it moving. over a leaping brendan morrison where ryan owe belen operate and he'll use the window to get it back to center. lapierre 3 on 2. lapierre fires one. oh, laich just misses it. spins varlamov made the save on bergeron. lapierre. pounding along the wood work by erskine.

5 on 5 play continues. we near the midway mark of this regulation time. caps a 2-1 lead. goals from ovechkin and fehr back in the opening frame. hamrlik on a long lead for cammalleri. over the blade of lapierre who is dragging there at the end of his shift. sergei kostitsyn. passing, cammalleri down, sick save by varlamov. >> craig: and good short passing by the canadiens. the caps passing the puck a little too long. they have to shorten up their passing by stepping into the lanes just like cammalleri did on that break out. >> joe: great point, because brendan morrison was saying that earlier today. they can't look for the home run passes. they need more little bump type plays. >> craig: there is a perfect bump that goes from d to swinger on the strong side right to cammalleri, joe, who is jumping in the lane. and that brings speed. that line has a lot of speed. plekanec along with kostitsyn and cammalleri when he is out with that three ohio, a lot of fire power. >> joe: plekanec scored three

times last year against the caps. scored in the first meeting eight days ago, in which montreal squeaked out a 3-2 win. canadiens at 12-12-1. 25 points good for fourth. in the rouged northeast division. ding -- rugged northeast division. ovechkin fires. that was blunted by spacek and high into that safety netting. 2-1 tonight. caps have a date with the hurricanes on monday. they also have this as you look ahead at the road ahead, presented by moore cadillac. >> craig: joe for the next five again away from home monday at carolina versus florida, then again a three gamer at philadelphia at tampa bay, at buffalo. looking forward to seeing our friends down in carolina come monday. >> joe: haven't seen them in >> while. giroux had a great chance. price made a pad save. alexandre giroux all those goals at the american hockey league level. 60 during the regular year, 75 total. what is the difference for a

goal scorer at that level and this level. >> craig: goalies and defense are the difference and time, obviously. you don't have the time at the nhl level. i said it before when he got called up. he is the best screener in the world. i mean he can step in in any situation, and i mean he's either an nhl guy or american hockey league and he is right in between. he's successful at the hl and also at the ahl and give you good minute. >> joe: bruce boudreau giving him a top line assignment tonight with nick backstrom and alex ovechkin. point position bergeron shuttles this one for plekanec. plekanec going the wrap around pass and varlamov had his goalie stick in the way. o'byrne for kostitsyn in looking to plekanec. it goes awry and ovechkin the other way with jay beagle driving to center lane. ovechkin beautiful move. pad save price. rebound, he stopped that one, too. [ cheers and applause ] . >> craig: even better than the

initial one. beagle's save was fantastic. keeping this canadiens team in it. >> joe: extraordinary. carey price and this riccochets wide of varlamov. both net minders have been dazzling tonight. bergeron fires. that was blocked. well timed by jay beagle. as the fans chant carey, carey, for their net minder carey price. >> craig: they weren't doing that in the playoffs, were they? they're fickle here in montreal. >> joe: no, they can serenade you a lot of different ways. [ laughter ] . >> joe: clark, trying to bump this one to the front. chipchura was there. lapierre the other way. lapierre at the line. ryan white in ahead of the play. this has been a good game. 2-1 caps. the net minders have had to be very, very good. ovechkin and beagle thwarted by the price is right.

>> joe: canadiens have had so many difficulties with food injuries this area. spacek included among them. 2-1 watch and look at spacek's skates. it looks like somebody slung wrapped them shrunk wrapped them. >> craig: in the past players used to wear ankle guards and black coverings made of hard, hard plastic. this is a clear plastic covering the whole boat, which is real, real thin. when you look at that, real, real thin when you look at the type of plastic. the boots are so light, joe, in

this day and age, just not that much protection. it's just a little layer for a lot of guys that are injured. >> joe: spacek told you took a couple of practices for him to get used to that. he has custom made ones coming next week as the canadiens are ruled off side here. >> craig: that was a good hit along the boards there. erskine stepping up. there is a look at spacek. the goals scored. they're happy to have him back. you look at the numbers eight points. power play goal. a plus guy one of the big off- season acquisitions. the overall here by bob gainy. 10 of the unrestricted guys didn't return this year. so he really had to overhaul from the back line to the front line here with the habs. >> joe: 41 wins last year for montreal. 93 points second best in the northeast. they were swept out of the first round in four by boston. >> craig: that really cost them. 100th anniversary, joe, all star game entry draft, and then that sweep. i mean that was just not the

way they wanted to finish off here in montreal. >> joe: whistle there case the puck was knocked down with the high stick. >> craig: the canadiens recently sold going through the process from george gillette the molson brewery company takes over the brothers export canadien and dry -- just kidding. jeff andrew and justin are taking over. see i had you on that. the three brothers taking it over will be heavily involved in the day-to-day operation. >> joe: i guess we know what they're pouring at the concession stand. >> craig: i think you know. >> joe: screen for brendan morrison. one touch passing for brooks laich. deadened by josh gorges. pacioretty, metropolit and moen across the top for jacques martin. nice screen, good speed into the biscuit first. on around for brooks laich and back on through. 7:20 to go in the second period.

washington's two markers coming in the first. compliments of fehr and ovechkin. spacek on the power play in period 2 for the locals. eric fehr mozying in. and he stays right with him. they mug it up in the corner. point position for alzner. and wide of the goal. sergei kostitsyn turning and burning. he has plekanec. plekanec working in on alzner. stayed with him right in his chest very well. side by green. >> craig: a lot of nice stick work there but even better defensively sticking with it. alls near nice job by the young d. -- alzner nice job by the young d. >> joe: washington putting on pressure with beagle, hammered there by spacek. you see that one right in your living room. four in the scrum. alzner fanned on the first wrister and now gives ground. laich, working in. hits the brakes. slowly to the front. that didn't get through to

varlamov. spacek. serves it to hamrlik. deflected. try. varlamov can't save and they score on the rebound. [ cheers and applause ] plekanec is always dangerous. >> craig: they out work the caps right in the paint, and that's why plekanec who had an excellent shift and was dog tired, ties up his hockey game. there is the little shot through. the caps don't clear right there. it's kept alive, hamrlik just a nice shot getting it on net, and plekanec, nice work with the glove and the hands and the skates, kicking it up. watch this. that was beautiful. and right under the pad, plekanec has tied it up here in montreal. >> joe: you mentioned him as their possible 1st quarter mvp. >> craig: yeah. >> joe: he plays special teams on both sides of the puck. takes a million face offs for them and he has been doing

yeoman work for jacques martin bringing montreal back level with washington. >> craig: and after last season he came to himself and said i'm going to work on details. >> joe: pacioretty lets one fly that was defended well by nick backstrom. in transition to giroux. stick check by hamrlik. spacek speeds it a lot for moen. 5:45 to go second period. a 2-0 advantage for the capitals has been erased. >> craig: and mark down a couple of key thoughts by carey price. that stop on ovechkin's break away would have made it 3-0. a lot different than a 2-0 lead. >> joe: that and the stop he made again on ovechkin and beagle, just the same. 2-2 the count north of the boarder in montreal. plekanec posted up in front. finds it and knows what to do of 10 inch hose clamp pliers. you know what's complicated? shipping. shipping's complicated. not really. with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service shipping is easy.

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>> joe: montreal's point scoring leader tomas plekanec has done it to d.c. he doesn't have george la rock to protect him, however. laraque because of this left knee on knee. he said he didn't mean to do it. it went to review at the nhl brass and they said that hit was dirty, uncalled for. george laraque a five-game suspension and losing about 40 k in pay. >> joe: ouch. >> craig: wait you're giving him a 60% discount. what is it?

20? 30 >> joe: right. whatever. you know what i mean. challenging there was varlamov the rebound captain in the corner. washington without the services of tom poti and tyler sloan. also admitting lang, knuble and gordon as well as shaone morrisonn. the caps used to run rough shod over the canadiens when this building first opened. >> craig: the first nine 8-0 and 1 points. under 500 at 5-9-2. the first game was back in '96. march 27th. the first game the caps played in here. >> joe: alex ovechkin loves it here. he said this morning you don't need red bull to get ready for this place. metropolit slaps one off the boot of brendan morrison. josh gorges creeping into his points position. leaves it along the wood work there. on the lip of the board for a moment. metropolitan spins, once then twice. brendan morrison makes the clear.

>> craig: for the november month, the morrison guys, shaone and brendan growing mustaches for men's health month and prostate cancer. >> joe: helping to support the fight against prostate cancer. brendan morrison his number have been very good. he's found his skating legs again after so many injuries. >> craig: do you think that's coming in all right? >> joe: it's filling in. >> craig: do you think so? >> joe: he can't wait until december 1. [ laughing ] . >> craig: a little light i'd say, don't you think. >> joe: 34-year-old had a goal against montreal in that first loss. fix of his eight on the road -- six of his eight on the road this year. alzner buddy buddy be lapierre. laich deflected by jurcina. mara, and overhead played. pyatt in hot pursuit. he's wide. mara closing in. eric fehr shortened up the

defense there. alzner winning white. la pair pounded by jurcina. lapierre digging it loose. lapierre still with it. point position. for mara. forced off the blue line by fehr. we saw a guy earlier in the day, he used to coach these canadiens, who always is very pleased with the way lapierre. almost reminded him of himself, the way he played. >> craig: :he does. and he's one of the greatest defensive forwards ever to play. former coach, still has a contract with montreal but now doing what we do in the broadcast booth. >> joe: you see him across the way. bergeron breaks his stick. varlamov stayed with that change of base. rebound high in the air. wyman spinning away from perreault. mathieu perreault first entered this building when he was eight years old. he told us he never went to the montreal forum. never had the chance. >> craig: wow. >> joe: oh. erskine cleans up the mess. straight ahead for chris clark. back check by kostitsyn.

montreal 3 on 3. kostitsyn back hander. he missedded it wide. varlamov down on his tummy. follow-up chance chipchura. he didn't bang it in. bergeron rips it wide of the goal. >> craig: have to put that on net. bergeron one of the harder shots in the team. ripped it up. over top of the net she went. >> joe: the break away speed of sergei kostitsyn. a nimble move. mathieu perreault fires. price makes that save. >> craig: mathieu perreault has had his hands dangling this shift. dangled in the corner then a great chance there. >> joe: ovechkin o'byrne there a couple of big bodies. kostitsyn didn't get it out. a slapper is deflected over the head of carey price. 2:24 left in the second period. the time separating us from netstar 1 intermission live. ger giroux wide of the goal. they get it out. 16:10, montreal out shooting

washington. caps had a 2-0 advantage. mon central is responding. backstrom to ovechkin. fires. locker saved by price in the blink of an eye. >> craig: all three guys on the line connected there, good read by giroux, backstrom and ovechkin. >> joe: when you get a chance to see ovechkin shoot that snapshot, it is awesome. just how quick he gets it off and how quickly it's on top of net minders. >> craig: and we're right above the ice, we're looking down on it, just a great advantage point here in montreal. >> joe: backstrom assisting through spacek to the front. knocked aside by price 1:30 to go in the second period. caps had their two in the first. montreal has its two here in the second. pacioretty off the boot of moen. collected by spacek and he'll dump it in deep. jurcina and fehr combine. brendan morrison trickles it along for brooks laich. like working wide against two defenders. and mara takes care of him.

pyatt. around the referee. laich skis to capture that. pyatt. nosing in front through center. pyatt working wide. alzner, making sure he is to the outside. and then fehr golfs it. under a minute to go in the second period. jacques martin changing them up. jurcina, you watch him from a nice point of view, all the way through. hamrlik using the wall and back to center she comes for cammalleri in the final 35 seconds of the second stanza. sergei kostitsyn keeping three caps company. gorges shuffles it ahead. >> craig: the capitals not as effective with the puck in this second period. looks like the habs have turned up the pressure and that's why they're looking for more stretch passes and the puck is bouncing, not on their stick in this period. >> joe: 12 seconds with which to work. plekanec to cammalleri.

to the inside. beneath the boot of moen. four seconds now, three, tomas fleischmann gets it out and the second period is done. montreal fans better than 21,000, saluting tomas plekanec, the last man on the board. he and jaroslav spacek a pair of czech republic natives denting the twine just over eight minutes apart. we are 2-2. netstar 1 intermission live coming up, a continuation of russ naylor's conversation with alex semin the injured winger. highlights and stats and craig laughlin has the tell straiter heating up as we speak. first visit for the caps to montreal. price dazzling early and the canadiens got there, too. boss: ah! thank goodness you're back.

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ovechkin. how does it make you feel when other people say that semin is the most talented player on the washington capitals? >> [ through interpreter ] >> of course i feel very, very -- it's very nice when people say these things. i just have to keep working to get better. all the time. but as far as talent, also, i can say it's up to other people who see me from the side lines to say. >> the one knock on you is that sometimes you play great, and it looks like you're really into it, and sometimes maybe your mind is somewhere else. is that fair? >> who said that journalists? fans? have they ever played hockey? let them go out there on the ice and play and then we can talk. >> i thought fighting wasn't

your thing. [ laughing ] >> it's just very easy to say when you are sitting upstairs and looking down, because even when i was injured, i was upstairs and watching games, and thinking somebody should have done something different. but when you're down there on the ice, it's very, very different. it's not as easy. >> you seem to like to i'm pro advise at hockey. is there a battle between what the system might be and what your skills can do and what you want to create by yourself on the ice? >> i absolutely have no problem with playing bruce's system. i really like it. he lets us play a lot in attack. and the only thing he is kbed about is us losing the puck on the blue line. as long as we don't do that, we can still improvise when we are attacking.

>> injuries have shortened your season a lot. probably more than you would hope. dug in the off season to try to get yourself in better condition? are you doing anything different to try to avoid injuries that will keep you off the ice? because when you're on the ice you are clearly one of the most prolific guys in the league, in the world. >> last season started really well for me, especially the first 20 games were really great, and then i just had this silly injury. it was probably even my fault. then when i came back i started gaining my form back and another injury. i had another injury, i had a stick to the my back. but that didn't depend on me. i don't even know what to do, whether training more will help it. i think maybe just not thinking about it too much is going to help it. >> i know you're in a contract year, you know you're in a contract year. could you see yourself on

another team? can you see yourself in a uniform that's not a washington capitals uniform in the nhl? >> it doesn't depend on me. but i like it here and i actually haven't thought anything about that yet. >> so what are your goals for this season? >> to make it all the way to the stanley cup finals then win the cup. that's it. >> that's it? >> i'm talking about the team. as far as my personal goals, i don't know. it just depends how it will go. but the main thing is for my team to win. >> joe: alex and russ, thank you very much for that. it's nice to get to know alex semin who has been a big leader for seven some seasons. injured and out of the lineup tonight. 2-2 caps canadiens after two. locker joins me for highlights in a moment on csn.

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late in attendance tonight at bell center in montreal. perhaps on hand to see young russian star semyon varlamov tend the nets for the washington capitals. it's a 2-2 game after two. joe beninati and craig laughlin with you. for more intermission live. locker, whenever a lead is lost the coaches say we stopped doing the little things. what little things are they talking about? >> craig: three or four. moving their feet. i thought they stood around too much and watched the habs in that second period. number two they were making long passes instead of short passes. number three they weren't chipping the puck behind their defensemen. and number 4, their shots were off course. they got to put more rubber on carey price. four little things that they're usually good at. >> joe: that would help as we get to the highlights, washington owned the first period. montreal owned the second. >> craig: yeah. and to start this whole period, pacioretty comes in, hamrlik. the caps actually have it for a second. can't clear. and then it's hamrlik to spacek.

pacioretty who started it along with plekanec in front of the net and that is a scorching slap shot. >> joe: second for spacek at 5:40 on the power play. >> craig: and plekanec makes the play. he is dog tired. the caps fail to clear and just a wrist shot to the net. look who is on the doorstep. the caps didn't box out and they didn't take away the sticks in front of the net. because of that they're facing off at center ice. >> joe: so tough for a goalie when the puck starts to pinball around in front. plekanec buries his sixth as we provide these game stats presented by your washington area chevy dealers. >> craig: for the caps just 11 shots won't cut it. five of those off the stick of alex ovechkin. 9-8 scoring chances blocked shots. the habs doing a great job in front of price. the caps have to drop some power plays. >> joe: locker, reposition and do it quickly. after the break it will be time for the acela express tell tell

telestrater. sold out in montreal.

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>> joe: it has been a tale of two different hockey games this evening. 13 games before it's all said and done. this one matters most to us. caps, canadiens tied at 2. joe beninati and craig laughlin with you. craig is at the acela express telestrater. >> craig: the tying goal in this game, we'll pick it up along the wall. the puck comes up the wall. caps looks like they're in good shape. the first man back steckels holds it here. what he is trying to do is reverse it to the defenseman alzner or to get support here. what happens is, it's a whole con -- how do you say that, joe in conundrum? hold it here. >> joe: conundrum. >> craig: right. the shot to the net. nice hard shot but look what happens in front. little bit of panic. the caps chip it away. hold it here. another lost battle. right here. two on one, and the caps don't clear.

it goes to the point, look at this. the deep pass and who is in front? watch this. hold it here. nice little play right here. watch plekanec. love this guy. look how he gets position, joe, and alzner is on the outside rather than the inside. and that's why we're tied at two a piece in montreal. here it is the acela express, joe. enjoy the journey. thanks for pointing to my acela telestrater. i didn't get that word right i was ready to leave. >> joe: you are a conundrum wrapped inside of a riddle wrapped inside of an enanything ma. third period -- enigma. third period coming soon. ♪

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>> joe: it is one of the very desktops on the nhl circuit. montreal, quebec, man at that from semyon varlamov picked up his first nhl win last year and is involved in a tie game. news and notes from around the big league. >> craig: the oilers hemski hurt his shoulder and he is out for the season. they expect patrick coletta, the guy ovechkin hit the other night, he received a two-game suspension and lucci can't stay healthy. his upper body, now his lower body. now a high ankle sprain. you hate the sound of that. ankles are tough to heal. >> joe: rider on the board as pyatt gets a chance right off the opening face off this the third period. a dozen other games in this day and night before the evening is through. washington and montreal, perhaps 20 minutes and maybe even more. required to settle this.

>> craig: and one was final earlier today, new jersey, put a hurting on the islanders who have been playing pretty well. a couple of goals. >> joe: lapierre out of his own zone. white staggered by schultz. jacques martin wants the line changed some 40 seconds into period three. mike green away she goes. green's only goal against montreal in this building an overtime game winner. >> craig: he'd like another one. we talked about the goalie probably here to see varlamov. other russian players of course like the great 8 and wyatt also in the house. >> joe: ovechkin for backstrom. blocked by hamrlik, right in that shooting lane. michael cammalleri the other way with sergei kostitsyn. cammalleri fires. rue phone for varlamov. routine for varlamov. spacek who bested the young russian in the second