The Red Wings performed well against Washington on Tuesday, but Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren stole the show with a 42-save performance in a pivotal game in the playoff race
The Red Wings performed well against Washington on Tuesday, but Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren stole the show with a 42-save performance in a pivotal game in the playoff race
With 1.1 seconds left on the clock, Patrick Kane rifled a goal past Washington goaltender Charlie Lindgren, but there was no use in celebrating. On their 43rd shot of the night, the Red Wings had finally foiled the Capitals’ difference maker between the pipes, finally putting a scoring chance on the scoreboard. But with a 2-1 deficit staring back at them and fans already long streaming for the exits, the goal’s arrival was as frustrating for Detroit as it was relieving.
Kane stole the shutout, but Lindgren stole the game.
The 30-year-old netminder finished the night with 42 saves on 43 shots, preventing 2.19 goals above expected that would’ve been higher without Kane’s final scoring gasp. The Red Wings played well enough to earn a win nine games out of 10, but not the one with Lindgren in the net. In a game with such massive playoff implications — allowing the Capitals to leapfrog Detroit for the final wild card spot — Lindgren did everything in his power to win the game.
“I’m just trying to process it all, process the game,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said after the game. “There’s a lot of emotions — frustrated. We played well, we just couldn’t put the puck in the net and that’s the game.”
His banditry started early and often. In a wide-open first period, Lindgren’s Capitals struggled to keep pace with the Red Wings’ rolling depth. Detroit forwards broke into the zone and connected passes. Lindgren strained to stop these connected threats, giving up juicy rebounds but refusing to give up goals. The Red Wings generated 21 unblocked shot attempts through the opening frame, 10 of which came during a nine-minute stretch without a face-off to end the period.
The victims of Lindgren’s heroics spanned up and down the Detroit lineup. Dylan Larkin found an outstretched pad on a breakaway. Robby Fabbri — Lindgren’s former St. Louis Blues teammate — couldn’t connect with Christian Fischer for a deflection that Lindgren stopped. Even J.T. Compher watched as Lindgren stopped a hard shot in the period’s final minute, then absorbed a follow-up rebound try. Lindgren stoned all comers.
Lindgren kept going through the next two periods, and his teammates paid him back. Two goals late in the second period gave him a locker room lead, a cushion he would need to bring it home.
“That’s their M.O.,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “They just get saves by an outstanding goaltender and they take advantage of opportunities if you give it to them. And unfortunately in the second, we gave them some opportunities.”
Defensively, the Capitals continued to struggle in the third period, allowing another 21 unblocked shot attempts and 16 on goal. Yet for 19:59 of the 20-minute period, Lindgren slammed the door. The Red Wings’ desperation intensified, aided by a pair of third period power plays that gave them an even better shot at finally converting. But that shot — that shutout-breaking shot — came far too late.
“Obviously you always want to do more if you don’t score enough,” David Perron said. “But definitely a lot of really good looks, a lot of high zone plays. Larks, (Lucas Raymond) were buzzing, (I was) just trying to get the net for them and we had a lot of guys sacrificing, blocking shots, all that stuff. Extremely disappointing, obviously.”
Lindgren didn’t go it alone. His teammates blocked 26 shots, a spongy performance to keep his already high workload more manageable. The majority of the win’s credit, though, traced back to the pucks he turned away all night.
This night almost didn’t happen. Washington nearly moved Lindgren at the deadline but they kept him, and with him they kept their playoff hopes. Unknowingly, Lindgren proved a trump card against the Red Wings. He was a key contributor in Washington’s 4-3 overtime win against Detroit back on March 26 — his team's last win until now — and he proved even more invaluable Tuesday night. Now, his Capitals are in a playoff spot with high odds to make it into the playoffs. The Red Wings, meanwhile, will have to play catch-up and hope Washington stumbles in the remainder of the season. Destiny was once firmly in its hands, until Lindgren took it.
In the biggest game of its many biggest games this season, Detroit couldn’t solve Lindgren. Maybe Bodies down low might have buried a rebound, or better placed shots might have found the little space Lindgren didn’t cover.
“We had chances — a lot of chances, a lot of shots,” Larkin said. “... And we had chances they gave us too, we just didn’t execute and I think that’s twice now Lindgren’s kind of had our number and we just didn’t score. As forwards, as guys who are relied on to put the puck in the net, it’s one that we’re gonna be thinking about late tonight.”
Hindsight is always 20/20, but Lindgren was 42/43.
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