Game 2 of the best-of-7 series will be here on Wednesday (7 p.m., ESPN, MNMT, SN, TVAS, CBC).

Strome had three assists, Ovechkin also had an assist, and Beauvillier had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who are the No. 1 seed from the Metropolitan Division and in the Eastern Conference.

Logan Thompson, who had not played since sustaining an upper-body injury in the first period of a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on April 2, made 33 saves.

“Our third period, we were just a little too passive,” Capitals forward Tom Wilson said. “We took our foot off the gas and allowed them to make plays, allowed them to get a little more time with the puck. We knew that and we just regrouped. It was pretty calm, a quick turnaround. We were able to get it done pretty quick.”

Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki scored third-period goals, and Sam Montembeault made 29 saves for the Canadiens, who are the second wild card from the East. Lane Hutson had two assists.

“We spent more time in the O-zone and we get better as the game went on,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “I feel like in terms of what we tried to do out there tonight, I felt it was a pretty good first game. There was a lot of good stuff. Unfortunately, you don’t win, but we got some really good stuff from this game.”

Caufield pulled the Canadiens within 2-1 with a power-play goal at 10:32 of the third period. Patrik Laine’s shot from the left circle deflected off Capitals Nic Dowd and Matt Roy, and Caufield knocked in the loose puck from the slot.

Suzuki tied it 2-2 at 15:45, when he controlled a loose puck during a scramble in front and, with Thompson out of his crease, lifted a wrist shot into the open net.

“We had chances in the first period,” Suzuki said. “We could have had one. Second period we could have easily had a couple. We just of felt that if we stuck with it we would be able to find some goals and we did.”