MONTREAL – The scoreboard read 8-4 by night’s end, but Thursday’s matchup at the Bell Centre was far closer than the final number suggests.

The Canadiens and Capitals traded punches all game long, with the scoreline reading 5-4 into the late stages, before Washington struck three more times putting the game out of reach.

Brendan Gallagher recorded his first of the season, Joe Veleno buried his first as a Hab, and Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson added tallies of their own in the defeat.

Samuel Montembeault got the start but was pulled early in the second, giving way to Jakub Dobes for the remainder of the game.

For more stats, check out the NHL’s Gamecenter summary here .

Roster

Jake Evans left the game and did not return.

Montreal goals

P1 15:47 1-[1] Gallagher (Dobson, Demidov) –

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