WASHINGTON -- One night after a getting pulled in a loss, Montreal goalie Carey Price bounced back to collect a milestone win.

Jeff Petry scored the go-ahead goal and Price stopped 20 shots to record his 250th career win as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Saturday night at Verizon Center.

Price was slated to sit out Saturday's game, but was pulled Friday night after allowing four goals on 18 shots in less than 27 minutes in a 4-2 loss to San Jose and coach Michel Therrien opted to start him against Washington.

"I didn't have any doubt," Therrien said when asked about Price's return to form. "He played really well and the players responded really well in front of him too."

Price's teammates blocked 21 shots and held Washington without a shot on goal for about 15 straight minutes beginning late in the second period. This despite playing with four defensemen for a stretch due to an injury and major penalty.

"We weren't good enough for him last night and we did a lot better job protecting him and clearing everything ..." said defenseman Shea Weber, who left with a lower-body injury but returned for the third period.

Price, who came in with a 5-9-4 record and a 3.08 goals against average in 18 games versus the Capitals, made a series of key stops in the second period and again in the final minutes to secure win No. 250.

"Just another win for me," he said. "I don't really care that much about milestones."

Artturi Lehkonen gave Montreal (20-7-4) a 1-0 lead in the first period and Petry snapped a 1-1 tie with his sixth goal of the season late in the second.

The loss ended Washington's six-game winning streak.

"We didn't make it hard enough, I thought, on Carey," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "We didn't put enough shots on him ... but I don't want to take anything away from Montreal. They were a pretty determined group."

Nicklas Backstrom scored Washington's only goal during a 5-on-3 power play in the second period.

"They don't let you get into the inside very easily," Capitals goalie Braden Holtby said. "That's probably the best defensive team we've played yet. It's no wonder they don't give up many goals."

Holtby made 23 saves for Washington (19-9-3) in a matchup of the NHL's past two Vezina Trophy winners.

The Canadiens held a 1-0 lead after the first period despite being outshot 8-5.

Lehkonen controlled the puck after a faceoff in the Washington end and skated behind the net. His wraparound attempt deflected off Holtby's stick and in the net to give Montreal the lead at 14:41 of the period.

In the second period, Washington was already on a power play when Montreal's Alexei Emelin was called for interference at 14:07. It took the Capitals just nine seconds to cash in on the 5-on-3 advantage, as Justin Williams took a pass from Alex Ovechkin and sent a perfect feed across the crease to Backstrom, who fired high into a big opening for his ninth goal of the season.

Backstrom has four goals and nine points in the last 10 games, but his goal was the end of Washington's scoring as well as the beginning.

"We just couldn't get in there and get pressure and kind of get rolling in their zone and turn the momentum our way," Capitals center Jay Beagle said.

Montreal regained the lead with 3:21 left in the second when Petry got behind the defense and tipped in a pretty cross-ice pass from Max Pacioretty on the rush.

"Coming off yesterday's game we knew we needed to respond and I think we did that," Petry said.

NOTES: Washington recalled F Zach Sanford from Hershey of the American Hockey League. Sanford, who began the season with the Capitals, was in the lineup. ... LW Andre Burakovsky, D Taylor Chorney and RW Brett Connolly were Washington's scratches. ... Canadiens D Mark Barberio replaced D Zach Redmond in the lineup. LW Chris Terry, called up from St. John's of the AHL after F Sven Andrighetto was injured Friday night, was also in the lineup. C Andrew Shaw (concussion-like symptoms) missed his second straight game. ... Washington C Nicklas Backstrom is five assists away from becoming the 10th Swedish-born player in NHL history to reach 500 for his career.