The Montreal Canadiens visit the Washington Capitals in Game 5 of the first-round, best-of-7 series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Friday.

Get the best Canadiens vs. Capitals predictions ahead of Wednesday's Game 5. Free NHL picks and predictions for April 30.

As of Saturday, April 26, 2025, the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing, with the first round delivering drama, overtime thrillers, and no shortage of surprises.

Forward Cole Caufield had no playoff experience before the 2021 postseason. He played 20 postseason games that year, getting 12 points (four goals, eight assists). Against the Capitals, he has a team-leading three goals, with one assist, through four games, his four points one fewer than the four of rookie defenseman Lane Hutson (five assists).

The NHL cracked down on any possible mishaps between the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals following a huge brawl in Game 3. Josh Anderson and Tom Wils

Montreal Canadiens' Josh Anderson (17) falls into the Washington Capitals' bench as he fights with Capitals' Tom Wilson (43) following the second period of Game 3 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series in Montreal, Friday, April 25, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP) AP

The Capitals cracked the code at Bell Centre, beating the Canadiens 5-2 and going up 3-1 in their first-round series.

Andrew Mangiapane scored the go-ahead goal with 3:37 remaining in the third period and the visiting Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday night.

Andrew Mangiapane scored the go-ahead goal with just under four minutes remaining, Brandon Duhaime had two goals and Logan Thompson made 16 saves to lead the Washington Capitals to a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens for a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.