WASHINGTON – NHL PLAYOFFS – The long wait is over in D.C. The Washington Capitals punched their ticket to the second round for the first time since their 2018 Stanley Cup run, downing the Montreal Canadiens 4–1 in front of a buzzing crowd at Capital One Arena on Wednesday night.
Sure, the handshakes were calm, the celebration measured—but make no mistake: this one meant something.
“It’s obviously a good start,” said Dylan Strome, who had two assists in Game 5 and led the Caps with nine points in the series. “We’ve got bigger goals, but this was a necessary first step.”
First Period Flurry Sets the Tone
If the Capitals were feeling pressure, they didn’t show it early. After being outshot 8-1 to open the game, the script flipped in a flash. Alex Ovechkin, ever the playoff warrior, ripped a power-play one-timer to open the scoring at 9:12—his fourth of the series and a reminder that even at 39, he’s still one of the game’s most dangerous weapons.
Minutes later, Jakob Chychrun doubled the lead after a slick setup from Pierre-Luc Dubois, one of the many new faces fueling Washington’s turnaround from last year’s first-round sweep.
“We were tight,” coach Spencer Carbery admitted. “But once we settled in, we started to look like the team we’ve been building toward.”
Veterans and Newcomers Blend into a Winning Formula
This isn’t the same Capitals team that hoisted the Cup seven years ago. Only Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, Lars Eller, and John Carlson remain from that group. But what’s emerged in their place is a balanced, battle-tested roster that blends youth, experience, and hunger.
- Logan Thompson (28 saves) capped off a strong series in net.
- Andrew Mangiapane, Taylor Raddysh, and Brandon Duhaime all chipped in critical goals across the series.
- Wilson was everywhere—physical, clutch, and loud, finishing with five points and 19 hits.
“This group’s got a different kind of energy,” Wilson said. “A lot of new pieces came in and clicked right away. That’s what makes this feel like more than just one win.”
Ovechkin’s resurgence has also been pivotal. After being held pointless in last year’s sweep, he roared back with five points in five games this time around.
“This means more than the record,” Carbery said of Ovechkin’s playoff fire. “You watch the way he’s elevated—it’s incredible. He’s rewriting what 39 should look like in this league.”
Canadiens Fought, But Capitals Were Too Much
Give credit to Montreal—they pushed Washington harder than the 4-1 series score suggests. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky tested the Caps’ depth, and Nathan Carrier and Jordan Binnington gave the Habs a fighting chance.
But Game 5 was Washington’s, wire to wire. Even as Montreal pressed in the third, it was Duhaime, a grinder turned goal-scorer, who sealed it with an empty-netter with 26 seconds left.
“The guys were dialed in,” Ovechkin said. “Now we keep going.”
🏒 Next Up: Round Two vs. the Hurricanes
The Capitals now shift their focus to the Carolina Hurricanes, a team with speed, depth, and postseason pedigree of their own. But for the Caps, this win was about clearing a mental hurdle—and proving to themselves, and the league, that they’re not done yet.
“We’re not satisfied,” Strome said. “We want more. And we’re ready for what’s next.”
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Here’s a BetNewsUpdate.com version of the article, rewritten with a betting-focused tone and analytics-driven framing that’s designed for sports bettors tracking the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Headline:
Caps Cash In: Washington Covers and Advances, Sets Sights on Hurricanes in Round 2
META Description (100 characters):
Capitals beat Canadiens 4-1 in Game 5 to clinch series, cover -1.5 puckline, and reset Cup futures odds.
TAG Words:
Washington Capitals, NHL betting, Stanley Cup odds, Ovechkin, Game 5 recap, puckline cover, Canadiens vs Capitals, NHL playoffs betting trends, player props, betting analysis
WASHINGTON – NHL PLAYOFFS BETTING RECAP – The Washington Capitals got it done on home ice, closing out their first playoff series win since 2018 with a 4-1 victory over the Canadiens in Game 5—and bettors who trusted the bounce-back narrative cashed in.
The Caps not only won outright (-150 ML) but covered the puckline (-1.5, +160) as veteran leadership, playoff pedigree, and a revamped core proved too much for a feisty Montreal squad.
“That was tight early, but we broke it open the way good teams do,” head coach Spencer Carbery said postgame. “We’ve got that next-level gear. We saw it tonight.”
💰 Bet Recap: Game 5 at a Glance
| Bet Type | Result | Odds | ✅/❌ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitals ML | W | -150 | ✅ |
| Puckline -1.5 | W | +160 | ✅ |
| Over 5.5 | L | -115 | ❌ |
| Ovechkin Anytime Goal | W | +135 | ✅ |
| Duhaime Over 0.5 Points | W | +155 | ✅ |
| Logan Thompson Over 26.5 Saves | W | -105 | ✅ |
| 1st Period Caps ML | W | +115 | ✅ |
🔥 Caps Futures Surge After Series Win
Washington opened the postseason at +2800 to win the Cup, but after finishing off Montreal in five games and drawing a matchup against Carolina, books adjusted:
| Futures Market | Before Game 5 | After Game 5 |
|---|---|---|
| To Win Cup | +2200 | +1500 |
| To Win East | +1000 | +700 |
| To Win Series vs CAR | N/A | +115 (underdog) |
📈 Player Prop Trends to Watch
Alex Ovechkin reminded bettors why he’s still elite in big moments. The 39-year-old netted four goals in the series, hitting his Anytime Goal prop in 3 of 5 games. His Game 5 total goal line was set at 0.5 (+135) — and the over hit with authority.
Dylan Strome went 5-for-5 on Over 0.5 Points (-140) props in the series and finished with a team-leading nine points. His assist double in Game 5 pushed bettors into the green again.
Brandon Duhaime, one of the best plus-money value plays of the round, notched his third goal of the series late in Game 5, cashing +155 Anytime Point and +370 Anytime Goal tickets.
🚨 Betting Angle: Capitals’ New Core Paying Off
Washington’s offseason overhaul paid dividends. Key offseason additions:
- Pierre-Luc Dubois: shutdown role vs. Canadiens’ top line + assist on Game 5’s second goal
- Jakob Chychrun: scored in Game 5, hit Over 1.5 SOG in 3 of 5 games
- Logan Thompson: .923 SV% for series, cashed 3 of 5 Over Saves props
Ovechkin is still the heartbeat, but the Caps’ betting ceiling rises with production from these newer names.
“This isn’t a rebuild, it’s a reload,” Ovechkin said. “We built a team to win now.”
🧊 Betting Lookahead: Caps vs. Hurricanes (Round 2)
| Market | Line |
|---|---|
| Game 1 ML | Caps +130 / Canes -150 |
| Series Price | Caps +115 / Canes -135 |
| Ovechkin Anytime Goal (Proj.) | +145 |
| Total Goals (Game 1 O/U) | 5.5 (O -110 / U -110) |
📍 Game 1 is expected Saturday or Sunday. Early sharp money leaning Canes ML, but public may jump on Caps with momentum and value.
Final Word:
The Caps covered, the props popped, and Cup futures tightened. For bettors, Washington isn’t just moving on—they’re making money moves.
Check back on BetNewsUpdate for Game 1 odds breakdown, sharp action reports, and prop bet previews as the second round gets underway.
