The Washington Capitals looked every bit like the top team in the Eastern Conference most of the time in winning their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens in five games.

The juggernaut Washington Capitals proved to be too much to handle for a young Montreal Canadiens team. The Capitals, who finished second overall in the regular season, were able to defeat the Canadiens in five games.

The Montreal Canadiens lost to the Washington Capitals in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They lost the first two games on the road but took Game 3 at home. A late-game collapse in Game 4 led to a road game with their playoff lives on the line.