Capitals Defeat Lightning, 4-2; Milano Sets New Single-Season Career High in Goals; Jensen Stretchered Off, But Alert; Carlson Posts Most Goals By A Defenseman in Franchise History


Photo: @TBLightning/X

The Washington Capitals defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 4-2 Saturday evening at Capital One Arena. The win improved the Capitals’ record to 38-31-11 and 87 points on the season. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren made 32 saves in the victory.

The Lineup

Alex Ovechkin — Connor McMichael — T.J. Oshie
Aliaksei Protas – Dylan Strome – Tom Wilson
Max Pacioretty — Hendrix Lapierre — Sonny Milano
Beck Malenstyn — Nic Dowd — Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Martin Fehervary — John Carlson
Alex Alexeyev — Nick Jensen
Trevor van Riemsdyk – Vincent Iorio

Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper

Scratches: Right-wing Ivan Miroshnichenko, center Michael Sgarbossa, and defenseman Lucas Johansen

Injuries: Defenseman Rasmus Sandin (upper-body), center Nicklas Backstrom (hip), and defenseman Ethan Bear (NHLPA Players’ Assistance Program)

First Period

Milano (14) opened the scoring to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead nearly ten minutes into the period. Pacioretty (19) and Lapierre (14) assisted.

Tampa Bay would equalize, 1-1, with a goal from left-wing Anthony Duclair at the 13:06 mark.

With seven minutes left, Milano (15) would pot his second of the game and set a new single-season career high in goals. The assists went to Strome (39) and Protas (24).

The Lightning would tie it up again, 2-2, with a goal from left-wing Brandon Hagel with 3:36 to go in the period.

With 91 seconds left, Jensen would be stretchered off the ice following a hit from Tampa Bay left-wing Michael Eyssimont. After review, no penalty was assessed.

The Capitals announced that Jensen is conscious and alert, and will continue to be monitored by the team’s medical personnel.

Quick Stats

SOG: 13-9 Lightning

Face-Off Win %: 54% (Lightning), 45% (Capitals)

Hits: 18-14 Capitals

Second Period

The middle frame would go scoreless, but Dowd did drop the gloves with Eyssimont with under nine minutes left.

Quick Stats

Total SOG: 24-22 Capitals

Face-Off Win %: 55% (Lightning), 44% (Capitals)

Total Hits: 42-16 Capitals

Third Period

Carlson (9) would give Washington a 3-2 lead at the 8:29 mark on a power play. Strome (39) and Wilson (16) had the helpers.

Dowd (11) would make it 4-2 in favor of the Capitals with just over three minutes left. The assists went to Malenstyn and van Riemsdyk.

Quick Stats

Total SOG: 35-34 Capitals

Face-Off Win %: 50%-50%

Total Hits: 56-25 Capitals

Notes Through the Game

  • Pacioretty played in his 900th career game. Originally drafted by Montreal in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2007 NHL Draft, Pacioretty will become the 13th member of his draft class to reach the 900-game mark. He ranks third among players selected in 2007 in goals (330) and sixth in points (667).
  • With the goal, Milano ties his single-season career high (2021-22: 14g; 2017-18: 14g).
  • Milano has scored 14 goals on 47 shots (29.8 S%) this season. Milano’s 29.8 shooting percentage ranks first in the NHL among skaters with at least ten goals.
  • Nineteen of Lapierre’s 22 points this season have come at five-on-five.
  • Today marked Milano’s second multi-game of the season and the seventh of his career. It also marks his second multi-goal performance vs. Tampa Bay (2g-1a–3p on 11/11/22).
  • Strome has established a new single-season career high in points (27g-39a-66p in 80 GP).
  • Carlson registered his 150th career goal, moving him past Kevin Hatcher (149) for the most goals by a defenseman in franchise history.

The Capitals play the Boston Bruins in their final home game of the season on Monday at Capital One Arena before clashing with the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday in their 2023-24 regular-season finale. Monumental Sports Network will have the coverage for both games beginning at 7 PM ET.

By Della Young

About Della Young

Della Young is an aspiring novelist and screenwriter who earned a BFA in Creative Writing from Full Sail University in 2021. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Screenwriting from Regent University and is writing her debut novel. Della comes from a family of big Capitals fans and became inspired to start writing for hockey in 2019. Follow Della on X: @dellayoung





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