Tuch scores twice as Capitals edge Canadiens 5-4

WASHINGTON _ Alex Tuch scored twice and added an assist as the Washington Capitals held off the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Jordan Kyrou had a goal and an assist, and Ilya Protas had two assists for the Capitals (4-3-0), who had lost two straight, including a 4-2 decision in Carolina on Tuesday. Justin Holl and Ivan Miroshnichenko also scored for Washington.

Josh Anderson scored twice and Lane Hutson had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens (3-3-1), who had won their previous two games, including a 4-3 shootout victory over Buffalo on Tuesday. Nick Suzuki also scored for Montreal.

Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for Washington. Jakub Dobes stopped 19 shots for Montreal.

Anderson opened the scoring at 4:29 of the first period, flicking a shot past Lindgren after Alex Newhook set him up in front. Kyrou tied it 3:27 later with a wrist shot from the high slot, and Hutson restored Montreal’s lead at 11:15. Miroshnichenko, playing his first game of the season, tied it 2-2 on the power play with 26 seconds left in the period when his pass across the crease deflected in off Anderson’s stick.

Tuch put Washington ahead 3-2 at 6:16 of the second period, scoring shorthanded from the left circle on a 2-on-1 rush. Anderson tied it 3-3 at 12:58 with a tip-in, again set up by Newhook, who finished with two assists.

Holl broke the tie at 12:29 of the third period with a wrist shot from the right point through traffic. It was his second goal in two games, and Alex Ovechkin picked up the assist, his 760th career helper and two shy of Nicklas Backstrom’s franchise record of 762.

Tuch made it 5-3 at 17:05 with a spinning shot from the right face-off circle. Suzuki pulled Montreal within one at 18:21 with a wrist shot from the left circle on a six-on-four advantage after Dobes was pulled, but the Canadiens could not find the tying goal.

The Capitals are off Thursday and return home to face the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.

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Via NHL.com. Score confirmed by ESPN.