Lindgren got the better of his brother on Saturday, and it was even sweeter as the Capitals powered to a 4-0 win.
WASHINGTON — Charlie Lindgren wanted revenge on his younger brother, Ryan, for the overtime loss he suffered the last time they met in a professional hockey game, which was back on Oct. 25, 2019. Four years later, Lindgren got his revenge, and it was made even sweeter as the Washington Capitals put together a total team effort to down the New York Rangers.
All four lines scored, and Lindgren posted a shutout en route to a 4-0 victory, which snapped a three-game losing skid.
Here are all the takeaways from the win, which moves Washington back into third in the Metropolitan Division.
Milano Get Things Going Early, Offense Busts Out
Goals haven't come easy for the Capitals this season, but on Thursday, the Capitals started to figure it out. They were able to keep it going with a stellar showing on Saturday.
Sonny Milano, who had been a healthy scratch against Dallas after going seven straight games without a point, opened the scoring just 43 seconds in.
It was in the second period, though, that the flood gates opened. Anthony Mantha gave Washington the 2-0 lead with his sixth of the season just seconds after an early power-play chance came to an end. The 29-year-old continues to find confidence with each game, and Evgeny Kuznetsov picked up his second point in as many games with the primary assist.
Minutes later, Tom Wilson would intercept a pass in the defensive zone and go up ice on a 2-on-1 break with Alex Ovechkin. He elected to shoot, and scored his fifth goal in as many games to make it 3-0. Nicolas Aube-Kubel put the nail in the coffin with his second of the season later in the frame.
It wasn't just the scoresheet that told the story, though; the Capitals were confident with the puck, making plays happen and generating high-danger chances. Washington's lines seemed to be clicking on all cylinders, and it paid off big time.
Lindgren Stays Hot,
Head coach Spencer Carbery gave Lindgren Saturday's game, the bigger of the two in the team's back-to-back this weekend, not for the sake of sibling rivalry, but because of his impressive play so far. He kept that going against New York.
The 29-year-old made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season.
Top Shelf Takes
- Ovechkin went without a goal for the ninth straight game and is approaching the longest drought of his career (10 games).
- Head coach Peter Laviolette's welcome back to D.C. was met with some applause and some boos.