Photo: X/@Capitals
The Washington Capitals downed the Detroit Red Wings 2-1, Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, in a critical battle to make the 2024 postseason. The victory improves the Capitals record to 37-30-11 (85 points) on the season. With the win, the Capitals now hold the second wild card spot.
Following a scoreless initial stanza, the Capitals got late goals from Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin and excellent goaltending from Charlie Lindgren to take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission. The Red Wings added a goal from Patrick Kane as regulation time expired for the 2-1 final. Charlie Lindgren stopped 42 of 43 shots (.976%) he faced in the win.
LINEUP
Charlie Lindgren (21-15-7, 2.82 GAA, .907 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the visiting Capitals. The Red Wings countered with Alex Lyon (20-17-4, 2.98 GAA, .908 sv%) in goal. The starting forward lines and defensive pars for the Capitals:
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
Charlie Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: Defensman Rasmus Sandin, (upper-body injury), forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko and Mike Sgarbossa, defenseman Ethan Bear (NHLPA players assistance program), forward Nicklas Backstrom (hip).
1ST PERIOD
The Capitals and Red Wings skated to a scoreless draw in the first period. Detroit dominated possession for a majority of the period and led in five-on-five shot attempts, 26-21, high-danger chances, 3-2, and expected goals for 1.32 to .60.
There were no power plays, with the Capitals leading in faceoffs, 66.7% to 33.3%.
2ND PERIOD
The Capitals opened the scoring on a nasty wrister from Dylan Strome (27) at 17:47 of the middle frame. Martin Fehervary (13) had the lone assist.
A career year in goal scoring, and timely goal scoring at that, continues for 17 pic.twitter.com/EoD9HYTyLl
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 10, 2024
The Capitals quickly made it 2-o on Alex Ovechkin’s 30th goal of the season at 19:51 of the second period. T.J. Oshie (12) had the lone helper. Ovechkin has scored 22 goals in his last 32 games (0.69 G/GP).
30 for 8 at 38 🤯 pic.twitter.com/A3yQOckh5s
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 10, 2024
The second period concluded with the Capitals leading 2-0. Detroit continued to dominate possession until about 13 mins into period. The Capitals flipped the possession script 4 mins. before Strome’s opening goal.
3RD PERIOD
The Capitals were faced with a critical 6-on-4 Detroit power play late in regulation, but we’re able to kill it off.
Patrick Kane added a goal as time expired, to make it 2-1, the final.
SHAVINGS (via Capitals PR)
- Dylan Strome’s 27th goal of the season also marks his 300th career point. With the goal, Strome has matched his single-season career high in points (2022-23: 65p).
- With his second period goal, Alex Ovechkin (18) passed former Capital Mike Gartner for the most 30-goal seasons in NHL history.
- Ovechkin is now just the sixth different player in NHL history to begin a season at age 38 or older and score 30 goals, joining Gordie Howe (3x), Johnny Bucyk (2x), Brett Hull, Teemu Selanne and Martin St. Louis.
By Jon Sorensen
