Canadiens lead Capitals after second period in Game 3

The Montreal Canadiens have a 3-2 lead over the Washington Capitals after the second period in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Friday night. 

Cole Caufield gave Montreal the lead with 8.6 seconds remaining in the frame as he took a pass from rookie defenceman Lane Hutson to beat Logan Thompson to make it 3-2. 

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had put Montreal up 2-1 eight and a half minutes into the second period as he took advantage of a John Carlson giveaway on the power play in front of the net as he backhanded the puck past Thompson’s blocker.

Washington would tie the game at 2-2 minutes later as Capitals defenceman Jakob Chychrun walked in and beat Sam Montemebeault on the blocker side clean for the goal. 

Shortly after Chychrun's goal, Montembeault departed the game and was replaced by rookie goalie Jakub Dobes in net. 

With the Canadiens set to go on the power play, Montembeault pulled himself from the game during a commercial break.  

Montembeault was seen grabbing his left leg during a replay. He had turned aside 11 of 13 shots he faced on the night as the game was tied 2-2 when he left. 

Dobes turned aside both shots he faced.

The period ended with a melee as Canadiens forward Josh Anderson got in the Capitals bench tangled up with Tom Wilson and a linesman. 

Connor McMichael had opened the scoring just over three minutes into the opening frame as he tapped in a pass from Matt Roy, who gathered the puck off a rebound from Montembeault and found his teammate. Rasmus Sandin picked up the other assist as his shot from the point led to the rebound from Montembeault. 

The Canadiens tied the game with under a minute remaining in the period on a point shot from Alexandre Carrier that found its way past Thompson. Alex Newhook picked up the assist on the goal.

The Capitals lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.