Caps, Canadiens under pressure to start stacking wins

The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens are holding out hope of making the playoffs when they square off in Washington on Tuesday, but both clubs are well aware the time is at hand to make a move.

After being an early-season surprise, the Capitals return to action from the All-Star break five points outside of a playoff spot with 35 games remaining.

The Capitals, who suffered a disappointing 5-4 overtime loss before the break to the Dallas Stars, a game in which they scored twice in the final two minutes to claim a point, are winless in their past four outings.

The respite has rejuvenated hope for the club that won 12 of its first 20 games and was in the top three of the Metropolitan Division for a considerable stretch.

"Right now you can see everybody's fresh, everybody's happy to be back and (Tuesday's) going to be a great day to play hockey," captain Alex Ovechkin said.

Well, maybe not everybody. Forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who has collected six goals and 17 points in 43 games this season, did not practice on Monday and entered the NHL player assistance program. The Capitals recalled forward Michael Sgarbossa from the AHL to take Kuznetsov's place on a line with Anthony Mantha and Aliaksei Protas.

"I believe in his group and I know we're going to keep fighting," coach Spencer Carbery said. "Not a lot of margin for error, but we're going to keep fighting and giving everything we got to push the envelope here and stay in this thing."

The Canadiens are further outside a playoff position, 10 points, with 33 games remaining, and coming off a disappointing 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in which they twice blew leads.

Montreal, with only one win in its past five games, also made an important move during the break, trading third-line center Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets for a first-round draft choice in 2024 and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2027.

"At one point, it's up to everybody to understand that's the sort of thing that happens in our business," defenseman Mike Matheson told Postmedia. "You need to turn the page quickly, whether you're upset about it or whatever the case may be. It's not going to change anything. It's the business we're in."

The Canadiens are also without center Brendan Gallagher, who will serve the second game of a five-game suspension handed him for an elbow to the head of Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech.

In turn, Montreal signed forward Brandon Gignac from its minor-league team, and he is expected to play his first NHL game in nearly 1,800 days.

"I kept working (although) I knew it wouldn't be easy, especially at 26 because the window's always closing," said Gignac said, whose lone NHL game was March 9, 2019, while with the New Jersey Devils. "But it's hard to beat someone who never gives up. That's the mentality I have."

Gignac, who collected 14 goals and 42 points in 43 AHL games this season, was at center between Josh Anderson and Lucas Condotta, who also was recalled Sunday from the AHL Laval Rocket, during Monday's practice.

- Field Level Media