Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis believes a return to home ice can help his club gain some momentum against the Washington Capitals after losing the first two games of the series in D.C.

"There's nothing like playing at home, especially at the Bell Centre, with our fans, in the playoffs," St. Louis said, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti. "I think it will be exactly what we need."

The Canadiens haven't played host to a full-capacity playoff game since 2017. Attendance limits were in place because of the pandemic when the club reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.

Montreal's success on home ice down the stretch was a key reason it claimed the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens went 10-0-2 at the Bell Centre after the 4 Nations Face-Off in late February.

The Habs have kept the series close despite their underdog status. The Capitals won Game 1 in overtime after Montreal mounted a two-goal comeback in the third period, then Washington fended off a late push with an empty netter to win 3-1 in Game 2.

"I think our group feels that we can play with them," St. Louis said. "We've got to find more minutes of good hockey, like our brand. And it's hard because 'Wash' is a really good team."

The Capitals beat the Canadiens in their only visit to the Bell Centre this season, a 4-2 result in December.

Puck drop for Game 3 is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Friday.