Tuch Strikes Twice as Capitals Outlast Canadiens 5-4 in the First Hutson Bowl
Alex Tuch's two goals and an assist carried Washington through a back-and-forth night that doubled as Cole and Lane Hutson's first NHL meeting.
A game that swung back and forth all night in Washington ended with the Capitals edging the Canadiens 5-4 at Capital One Arena on Wednesday — and with a family subplot that hockey will be replaying for a decade. Rookie Capitals defenseman Cole Hutson faced his older brother Lane, the reigning 2025 Calder Trophy winner, for the first time in an NHL game, and per NHL.com they became just the second pair of defenseman brothers to each record a point in their first head-to-head meeting.
A game of answers
Montreal struck first through Josh Anderson, Jordan Kyrou replied, and Lane Hutson restored the lead before Ivan Miroshnichenko's late power-play goal sent the teams to the first intermission tied 2-2. Alex Tuch put Washington ahead with a shorthanded goal in the second, Anderson answered again with his second of the night, and the game stayed square until Justin Holl scored midway through the third. Tuch added his second with under three minutes left — the cushion Washington needed when Nick Suzuki converted on a 6-on-4 with 1:39 remaining.
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery called the third "arguably one of the best periods we played all year," according to NHL.com. Anderson, whose two goals came in a losing effort, was blunt afterward: "Disappointing. I wish I could take those back."
Milestones in the margins
Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots for his 68th win as a Capital, passing Pat Riggin for sole possession of seventh on the franchise list. Alex Ovechkin picked up his 760th career assist, leaving him two shy of tying Nicklas Backstrom's franchise record. Both teams were playing the second night of a back-to-back, per RMNB, which also noted Washington was missing Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin.
Washington moves to 4-3-0, snapping a two-game slide. Montreal falls to 3-3-1 after back-to-back wins — a frustrating night for a team that got two goals from Anderson and a goal and an assist from Lane Hutson, but found one fewer answer than Washington.