Goalie Jaroslav Halak, stopped 90 of the 92 shots, thereby showing some astounding resilience. The Habs win in the Game 7 depends heavily on Halak. He has been the best penalty killer.
Left wing Michael Cammalleri will also play a crucial role for the Habs as he scored twice in Game 6. He leads the team with 10 points and 5 goals.

After a 3-1 lead initially, it still seems quite unbelievable that Capitals could lose the series. It is surprising that Capitals, in 30 chances have only one power-play. They have to clear out all negative vibes and give a power packed, vintage performance.

“Tomorrow is a day one team is going to be going on vacation, I don’t want to think about vacation right now.” captain Alex Ovechkin said.

Washington defenseman Tom Poti, with a right eye injury will sit out.
Most of the popular NHL betting websites have set the line at WAS -325 TOTAL: 6 WIN-LOSS-OTL Montreal Canadiens 40-35-11 Washington Capitals 57-15-14.

For Canadiens the goal tending is the biggest major problem. Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak, either of them will have to do it for Habs.

Jaroslav Spacek may sit out cause of illness. Cammalleri leads the Canadiens with six points. Montreal Coach, Jacques Martin has to lift up the team to find the killer instinct in them.

Capitals leading with 3-1 should look out to sweep the series. Alex Ovechkin has four goals in last three games. The Capitals have outscored the Canadiens 19-12 in the series.

Since replacing Jose Theodore, goalie Semyon Varlamov has allowed seven goals on 88 shots

In the NHL betting odds, Washington Capitals, 27/100 and Montreal Canadiens, 29/10 as per most of the popular betting websites.

The Washington Capitals can win this series at home. The Capitals lead the series 2-1 but have yet to score in their 14 power-play opportunities against Montreal.

Alexander Ovechkin, Eric Fehr and Nicklas Backstrom are the key players for the Caps’ success. With no power play goals in five games including their last two regular-season games, the Capitals have to step on the gas.

“If the power play gets going it’s going to be better for us,” Ovechkin said. “But I hope when we need it it’s going to be working.” Mike Green had an impressive play this year against Montreal with 1 goal and 4 assists in the 4 games so far. He logged an average of around 29 minutes per game and was plus 5 too.

The Habs are having a difficult time and it seems they are not able to slow down Capitals. Capitals busted them out to a 4-0 lead and this was where Montreal lost it’s much needed composure. Plekanec and Cammalleri are the key players for the Habs. Jaroslav Halak has given up seven goals on the last 27 shots and on Monday he was pulled8:33 into the second period after he scored three goals in four shots. “When it comes to goaltending, I have said it all along, I feel and I’m confident that we have two goalies that can do the job and that give us an opportunity to win every night,” Martin said. “We’ll analyze who I feel will be the best man to go (Wednesday) night and we’ll let you know that (Wednesday).”

The current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 78% of more than 1,117 bets for this game have been placed on the Capitals -196.

The Capitals are -165 favorites and the over/under total is 6 in NHL Odds.

Washington is 6-1-0-3 in the past 10 meetings, six of which have gone over the total.

This is the fourth meeting of the season between the Eastern Conference rivals, with Washington holding a 2-1 edge. The Capitals won 5-4 the last time they squared off on Nov. 11, as -200 home favorites.

In the Capitals’ last game, Alexander Semin scored once and set up three others on Saturday, leading the Capitals over the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2. The Capitals won the game as -210 favorites, while the six goals went as a push against the posted over/under total of 6.

Brooks Laich, Eric Fehr, and Alexander Ovechkin had the other goals for the Capitals. Michal Neuvirth made 28 saves in the victory.

Kyle Okposo had a goal and an assist for the Islanders in a 4-2 loss to Atlantic division rival New Jersey Devils on Saturday. The Islanders were +105 underdogs in that game, while the six goals went over the total of 5.

Washington is 33-12-6 this season, and 15-9-3 on the road. New York is 23-21-8, and is 14-9-2 at home.

The total has gone over in five of Washington’s last six games on the road.

Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins host Alexander Ovechkin and his Washington Capitals in what should be a high-scoring NHL matchup on Thursday (7:30 pm ET, NHLN-US, CSN-DC, FS-P).

But it’s the Capitals who are slight favorites, at -115, in NHL Betting Odds at Sportsbook.

As would be expected with these two high-powered offenses, the over/under is 6.5 with some pretty big juice (-130).

Washington is 5-2-0-3 over the past 10 meetings, eight of which have eclipsed the total.

This is their first meeting since the 2009 NHL Playoffs. Pittsburgh won the best-of-seven series en route to winning the Stanley Cup, beating the Capitals 6-2 in the final game of the series.

The total has gone over in five of the past six meetings overall, and in six of the past seven in Pittsburgh.
Both teams’ last game was Tuesday.

Dave Steckel’s goal late in the third period lifted the Capitals past the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 on Tuesday night. Washington won as -170 home favorites, while the game played under the 6-goal total.

Sidney Crosby finished with two goals and four assists to lead the Penguins over the Islanders 6-4 on Tuesday night. Pittsburgh cashed as -210 home favorites, while the game played over the 5.5-goal total.

Washington (31-12-6) has won four straight games. Pittsburgh (31-19-1) is 3-2 in its past five.

The Capitals are a -130 favorite in NHL Betting.

Washington is 5-3-0-2 in the past 10 meetings. This is the third meeting of the season. Toronto won 2-1 as a +110 home underdog on Nov. 21, and Washington won 6-4 as -240 home favorite on Oct. 3.

The Capitals (19-6-6) were shut out 3-0 by the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. The Capitals were a -120 road favorite.

The Maple Leafs (10-14-7) were beaten 5-2 by the Boston Bruins on Thursday. Toronto was a +155 road underdog.

Over/under betting fans should note that eight of the past 10 meetings have gone under the total.

The Capitals have the upper hand over the past 10 meetings, going 6-3-0-1. The teams last met on Oct. 3 this season, when the Capitals won 6-4 at home as a -240 favorite.

The last time the Capitals were in Toronto was March 24 last season, a 3-2 Maple Leafs win.

The Capitals are 13-4-4 this season while the Maple Leafs are 3-11-6.

In their last game on Tuesday, the Capitals doubled the New York Rangers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden. The Maple Leafs lost 6-5 to the Carolina Hurricanes on the road Thursday.

Ovechkin returned to the lineup after sitting out three weeks with a shoulder injury, but the Capitals still have a number of injury concerns. Boyd Gordon (back) and Mike Knuble (finger) are both out indefinitely while Alexander Semin (wrist) is listed as day-to-day.

The Capitals are a -145 favorite in NHL Betting Odds and the over/under total is 6½.

Philadelphia is 6-3-0-1 in the past 10 meetings, and picked up a 6-5 win the last time the teams met on Oct. 6 this season. The flyers won that game as -130 home favorites and the score went over the total of 6.

The total has gone under in four of the past five meetings in Washington.

The Flyers suffered a setback on Saturday, losing 4-1 to the visiting San Jose Sharks as a -140 home favorite. The five goals scored fell under the over/under total of 6.

And Brooks Laich scored one minute into overtime to give the Capitals a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday. Washington was a -168 road favorite while the final score played under the 6-goal total.

Washington is 6-2-2 and has won four straight games. Philadelphia is 5-3-1 this season.

The Capitals are a -120 favorite and the over/under total is 6 at Sportingbet.

To say San Jose has dominated the past 10 meetings would be an understatement: The Sharks are 10-0. The total has gone under in four of the past six meetings.

The teams last met on Nov. 22 last season, when San Jose bombed the Capitals 7-2 as a -200 home favorite.

San Jose is 5-0 SU in the past five meetings in Washington.

The last time San Jose was in Washington was Feb. 21, 2009, when they edged the Capitals 3-2.

In the Sharks’ last game Monday, goaltie Evgeni Nabokov made 30 saves in a 1-0 shootout loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. Phoenix cashed as +190 road underdogs and the score went way, way under the 5.5-goal total.

Mike Knuble had a goal and an assist for Washington in its 3-2 shootout loss to New Jersey on Monday night. New Jersey won as +155 road underdogs while the scored slipped under the 6-goal total.

Washington (2-2-2) has lost four straight. San Jose is 3-2-1 this season.