Capitals coach says Logan Thompson won team Game 2 vs. Canadiens

The Washington Capitals are headed to Montreal with a 2-0 series lead after a key 3-1 victory over the Canadiens in Game 2 on Wednesday night — and Logan Thompson is a huge reason why.

The 28-year-old stood on his head in the third period at Capital One Arena, turning the Habs away time and time again in a one-goal game.

“I thought he was the difference tonight in the third. He wins us that game in the third period,” Caps head coach Spencer Carbery told reporters afterwards. “[Canadiens goaltender Sam] Montembeault was fantastic in the first 40. You’re playing with fire if you’re not able to capitalize and execute and find a way to get that game to 2-1, 3-1, 4-1. You let a team stay right there within a goal. We obviously do a really poor job of managing that game in the third period.”

Montreal opened the scoring on a Christian Dvorak tally early in the second period, but that’s the only puck that would get by Thompson on this night. The Stanley Cup champion made 25 saves, including 14 in the final frame.

“I thought he was unbelievable, especially in the last five minutes,” said Washington center Dylan Strome, who scored the game-winning goal in the second period, per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “We were obviously just hanging on there.”

“He’s dialed. He’s always going to battle for us, we know that,” echoed veteran Tom Wilson. “He made some huge saves, timely saves. Bit of a highlight reel there, for sure.”

The Canadiens outchanced the Capitals 3-0 in high-danger opportunities and held a 34-15 advantage in shot attempts at all strengths in the third period, per Natural Stat Trick. Thompson saved 1.47 goals above expected to secure the victory.

Logan Thompson has been doing this all season

It was a fantastic performance from the Calgary, Alberta native, who was a huge reason why Washington finished first in the Eastern Conference with a 51-22-9 record in 2024-25.

Thompson could be a Vezina Trophy candidate this year despite being injured; he sported an excellent 2.49 goals-against average and .910 save percentage this season.

After losing to the Dallas Stars in Round 1 while a member of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023-24, Thompson has unfinished business this time around.

“I got a taste of it last year,” he said, per Gulitti. “It didn’t end the way I wanted it to. To get another chance at it, I’m hungry and thankful for this opportunity. Like I said all year, just thankful to the Washington Capitals to take me in and let me play.”

In Game 1, Thompson turned aside 33 of 35 shots in a 3-2 overtime victory. It’s impressive considering he missed the final seven games of the Capitals’ regular-season with an upper-body injury.

He clearly looks no worse for wear, and he’ll look to help Washington take a 3-0 stranglehold when the series shifts to the Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday night. Puck is set to drop on Game 3 from Quebec just past 7:00 p.m. ET.