The Capitals rallied their way to a 2-1 overtime win over Columbus for their 10th straight road victory.
It took some time to get going after a four-day layoff, but once again, the Washington Capitals got the job done to extend their record road win streak, this time against the Columbus Blue Jackets. And it's all thanks to Aliaksei Protas and Charlie Lindgren.
Protas struck twice and Lindgren put on a show to help power Washington to a 2-1 overtime win over the Blue Jackets.
Here are all the takeaways from the team's third consecutive victory.
Dubois & Protas Help Capitals Get Going After Slow Start; Aliaksei Stays Hot To Win It
It wasn't the best start to play for Washington on Thursday, as it took some time to get high-quality chances on Jet Greaves, who had an answer for everything through the first 40 minutes of play as several pucks went right to his chest or glove.
Then, the Capitals upped the ante in the third, and ultimately, Pierre-Luc Dubois and his line finally delivered just 31 seconds into that final frame.
Dubois made a great pass to find Aliaksei Protas in the slot, and his one-timer made it past Greaves to even the score for D.C.
With the highlight-reel helper, Dubois extended his point and assist streak to three games as he continues to make a name for himself in D.C.
From there, the Capitals did a much better job of moving the puck and getting higher-quality opportunities on Greaves.
Ultimately, in overtime, it was Protas who played hero again, picking up a feed from Dylan Strome and firing a rocket past Greaves for the 2-1 win.
Protas is on pace for 32 goals this season and continues to make a name for himself, as he's up to 11 goals and continues to contribute offensively in a big way.
Charlie Lindgren Comes In Clutch
Washington continued its goaltending rotation, as Charlie Lindgren returned to the crease following Logan Thompson's win in Montreal on Saturday. And, with the Capitals still evaluating who the true No. 1 is, Thursday's game was significant for Lindgren.
The 30-year-old was agile and quick in the crease, and as his team shook off the rust from a handful of days off and took multiple penalties, he stepped up to make some key stops time and time again.
His biggest save came in the third when he reached across with his goalie stick to rob Kirill Marchenko on a wide-open net.
Lindgren finished the night with 32 saves on 33 shots and continues to turn things around after a bit of a rough start to the season stats-wise.
Capitals Lack Discipline, Kill Comes Up Big
Washington needs to do a better job going forward of staying out of the box, as the team took four penalties on the night and gave the Jackets one too many opportunities to control play.
Still, the Capitals have the best road penalty kill in the league, and Lindgren was on the top of his game, so the team was able to go 3-for-4 on the kill, including shutting down a 5-on-3.
While it didn't cost the team, it's a risky way to play.
Top Shelf Takes
- Jakob Chychrun finished the night with two assists and has 10 points in his last eight games.
- Dylan Strome picked up a helper on the OT winner and sits at 36 points. He ranks 12th in NHL scoring and is on pace for 105 points.