After a historic regular season, Alex Ovechkin embarks on his playoff run — which the Capitals hope ends in Ovechkin hoisting the Stanley Cup trophy for the second time.
Washington begins its first-round series against the Canadiens with Game 1 on Monday night.
Two weeks ago, Ovechkin scored his 895th goal, breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record. He ended the regular season with 44 goals, the third-most in the NHL.
Will postseason success follow? The Capitals have not won a playoff series since the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, dropping five straight first-round matchups. But they seem primed for a deep run this year, after notching 111 points in the regular season, the most of any team in the Eastern Conference.
Their first challenge awaits on Monday, with the Canadiens set for a first-round slugfest. Montreal (91 points) did just enough to sneak into the field, ending a three-year playoff drought. A six-game winning streak towards the end of the regular season helped to seal their spot.
Winger Cole Caufield (team-high 37 goals) and center Nick Suzuki (team-high 89 points) lead the Canadiens on the ice.
Here’s what you need to know about Monday’s matchup between the Canadiens and the Capitals, including broadcast information and start time.
What channel is Canadiens vs. Capitals on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Fubo
Game 1 of Canadiens vs. Capitals will air live on ESPN, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Ray Ferraro (analyst), and Emily Kaplan (reporter) on the call.
Fans can live stream games broadcast on the ESPN family of networks with Fubo.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
Canadiens vs. Capitals start time
- Date: Monday, April 21
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Canadiens and the Capitals is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Canadiens vs. Capitals radio station
Fans can listen to the Canadiens vs. Capitals game live on SiriusXM. Both teams’ radio broadcasts are available on the app, and the Caps broadcast will air on channel 91 in vehicles.
New subscribers can enjoy SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
Canadiens vs. Capitals series schedule
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 21 | Game 1 at Capitals | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| April 23 | Game 2 at Capitals | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| April 25 | Game 3 at Canadiens | 7 p.m. | TNT, truTV, Sling |
| April 27 | Game 4 at Canadiens | TBA | TBS, truTV, Sling |
| April 30 | Game 5* at Capitals | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
| May 2 | Game 6* at Canadiens | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
| May 4 | Game 7* at Capitals | TBA | TBA, Fubo or Sling |
* If necessary
NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule, key dates for 2025
Here are the key dates to know for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs and offseason. Some series start dates could move up depending on when previous series end.
| Event | Dates |
|---|---|
| First round begins | April 19 |
| NHL Draft Lottery | May 5 or 6 |
| NHL Scouting Combine at Buffalo | June 1-7 |
| Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 (if necessary) | June 23 |
| NHL Draft at Los Angeles | June 27-28 |
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