The Washington Capitals faced a challenging night on their home ice, ending with a 2-5 defeat against the Montreal Canadiens. The Capitals' season record now stands at an unsteady 10-14, while the Canadiens improved to a more robust 15-9. The final score reflected the visitors' dominance throughout the game.

Dec 10, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

At Capital One Arena, with an attendance of 16,959 fans eagerly watching, the Capitals struggled to find their rhythm early on. The first period was particularly tough for the home team as they failed to register any points against Montreal's three. Despite rallying in the second period with one goal and adding another in the third, it wasn't enough to counteract Montreal's consistent scoring which saw them add two more goals in the final period.

The Washington team's performance was hindered by their inability to capitalize on powerplays despite having three opportunities compared to Montreal’s two. In contrast, Montreal managed one powerplay goal from just two chances showing a more effective execution during these critical moments of play.

Washington did manage to outshoot Montreal with 39 attempts at goal compared to their opponent’s 26 shots. However, this numerical superiority did not translate into success as only five percent of these shots found their way past Montreal’s goaltender who saved an impressive total of 37 shots – ensuring his team walked away with a win credit.

On individual statistics for Washington, there were six points scored collectively by players who also contributed four assists throughout the game. Their efforts were overshadowed by giveaways which tallied up to eleven and penalties that cost them six minutes in total – factors that could have disrupted their flow during crucial times.

Defensively speaking, both teams were almost equal when it came down to blocking attacks; however, Washington fell short here too with only six blocked shots against twenty from Montreal. This defensive solidity contributed significantly towards securing victory for the visiting side.

Looking ahead for fans of The Capitals: they will be hitting the road soon as they are scheduled to face off against Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise on February 9th at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. Fans can catch all action live nationally via ESPN+ online or tune into channel 642 MNMT for TV coverage if following away from home or channel 654 BSFL if cheering from Florida territory.

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