Capitals return home to face Canadiens

After a rough road trip to California, the Capitals return home Tuesday night to face the Canadiens and looking to snap a three-game losing skid.

Bruce Boudreau's bunch isn't used to losing skids, as this is the first three-game stretch the Caps have played without picking up a single point since March 1-5 of 2009. Washington has had a three- and four-game losing streak before this season, but had picked up at least one point via overtime or the shootout.

But it's been a tough week for the Caps, seeing their captain traded to Columbus and pretty much undoing them in a loss to the Hurricanes, then the two-game road trip where uneven efforts cost them games in San Jose and Los Angeles. In that span, Washington has also fallen out of first place in the Eastern Conference, getting passed by both the Devils and now the Sabres in the race for the top seed.

Now, a Canadiens team that has gone 6-2-0 in their last eight pay their second and final visit to Verizon Center, although they are coming off a 1-0 loss at home against Buffalo Sunday. In a 3-2 loss to Montreal in November, Washington spotted the Habs a 3-1 lead before a furious comeback fell short, with Brendan Morrison the only Cap able to light the lamp late despite a strong effort against Carey Price.

The two team's last meeting was a memorable one as well, as the Capitals were able to steal two points at Bell Centre by scoring in the dying seconds to force overtime, then grabbing the win in a shootout of a 4-3 Capitals win.

But, the Capitals will need a better effort to avoid a four-game losing skid, and while the team is comfortably ahead in the Southeast Division race, they want to keep this rough patch under control.