Top 3 key Washington Capitals to watch against Montreal Canadiens

It's a Halloween gameday

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Connor McMichael, Rasmus Sandin, Washington Capitals
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Connor McMichael, Rasmus Sandin, Washington Capitals / Scott Taetsch/GettyImages
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The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens go head to head at 7 p.m. on this Halloween night. The puck drops at 7 p.m. from Capital One Arena. Here is our list of the top 3 players to watch. You can catch the game on Monumental Sports Network if you can't make it to D.C. or on 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7.

#3 Pierre-Luc Dubois

Pierre-Luc Dubois is a native of Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec and has recorded 21 points in 24 career games against Montreal with nine goals and 12 assists. The six foot four, 220 pound center is a four time 20 goal scorer and recorded a career high 63 points with 27 goals and 36 assists with the Winnipeg Jets two seasons ago.

Dubois' 21 career points against the Canadiens are tied for the most points he has registered against a signle franchise. So far this season PLD has recorded five points in eight games with a goal and four assists.

A third overall pick, PLD is one of six players from the 2016 Draft class to record four or more 20 goal seasons. 80 percent of PLD's points last season came at seven strength. This season Dubois averages 17:29 minutes of ice time and 3:50 power play time on ice.

Dylan Strome, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Dylan Strome, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

#2 Dylan Strome

Dylan Strome recorded two assists the other night in the Caps win over the New York Rangers, marking his third multi point game of the season. He assisted on both of Alex Ovechkin's goals. Since joining the Capitals in 2022-23, Strome has assisted on 30 of Ovechkin's 77 goals which is the most of any teammate.

Strome leads the Capitals in assists with eight and points with 11 and has recorded at least one point in seven of Washington's eight games. He led the Caps in points last season and became the first player other than Ovechkin to finish an 82 game season as Washington's points leader since Nicklas Backstrom in 2016-17.

He also established single season career highs in goals, points, and games played for the second straight season and reached the 40 assist plateau for the second time in his career. After he recorded 26 points with 15 goals and 11 assists in his first 41 games of last season he was a point per game player in the second half with 41 points in 41 games.

Since joining the Caps two seasons ago, Strome ranks first on the Caps in games played with 171 and assists with 90 while ranking second in goals with 53 and points with 143.

Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

#1 Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin scored twice against the Rangers marking his 174th career multi goa game and giving him four goals in eight games this season. With 857 career goals, Ovechkin needs 38 to pass Wayne Gretzky (894) for first on the NHL's all time goals list.

Ovechkin needs to average 21 goals the next two years to supplate Gretzky. Ovechkin has scored at least 42 goals in 13 of his 19 NHL seasons and 21 or more goals in each of his 19 seasons. With a 20 goal season in 2024-25, Ovechkin would tie Ron Francis for the second most 20 goal seasons in NHL history.

Ovechkin can also join Gordie Howe as the second player in NHL history to score 20 plus goals in 20 consecutive seasons. In addition, Ovechkin is also 43 points shy of 1,600 career points and 66 games shy of 1,500 career games played.

In 58 career games against the Canadiens, Ovechkin has recordd 67 points with 38 goals and 29 assists. His 38 goals and 67 points against the Canadiens are the most among active players.

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