WASHINGTON — John Carlson scored the go-ahead purpose on an influence play with 11:31 left, Charlie Lindgren made 32 saves in one other robust efficiency when his staff wanted him and the Washington Capitals stored their playoff hopes alive by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 on Saturday.
Sonny Milano scored twice and Nic Dowd supplied an insurance coverage purpose with 3:14 remaining because the Capitals received for simply the second time in 9 video games to not less than briefly transfer into the Eastern Conference’s second and remaining wild-card spot. They might must win their remaining two video games of the season to return to the postseason after lacking final 12 months.
Beating Tampa Bay was important to simply make that attainable. A 5-on-3 energy play within the third interval gave Washington its greatest probability to crack 2019 Vezina Trophy-winning and 2021 playoff MVP Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Carlson did simply that with a blast from the purpose after the primary Lightning penalty had expired.
Milano’s objectives helped the Caps hold tempo earlier, whereas Anthony Duclair scored on a double deflection and Brandon Hagel bought his twenty fifth of the season for Tampa Bay. Lindgren did the remainder, robbing Steven Stamkos of his fortieth amongst a handful of high quality saves all through.
Vasilevskiy on the different finish was on his recreation as nicely, wanting unbeatable for lengthy stretches of the sport and ending with 31 saves. The Lightning are locked into the East’s first wild-card spot and have solely particular person achievements like Nikita Kucherov reaching 100 assists this season or him profitable the NHL scoring race.
The scariest second of the sport got here late within the first interval, when Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen’s head hit the boards after a shove from Tampa Bay’s Michael Eyssimont. Jensen lay immobile on the ice for a number of minutes whereas being attended to by medical personnel and was stretchered off the ice.
Jensen was alert, aware and utilizing his extremities, the staff stated not lengthy after. Dowd, a school teammate and longtime buddy of Jensen’s, dropped the gloves within the second to battle Eyssmiont, who was not penalized for the collision and booed by the gang every time he touched the puck afterward.
UP NEXT
Lightning: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Monday evening.
Capitals: Host the Boston Bruins on Monday evening.
NHL: /hub/nhl
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Source: www.hindustantimes.com
