The Capitals ended a two-game slide in style on Wednesday.
The Washington Capitals knew that ending a two-game slide against the high-flying Los Angeles Kings would be a tall task, especially looking at the matchup on paper. Still, the Capitals were able to get back in the win column, and also get back to the culture of belief and "finding a way" that had fueled a hot streak in November.
Connor McMichael, Anthony Mantha and ALiaksei Protas led the charge there, and Charlie Lindgren put on a show en route to a 2-1 victory over the Kings, who saw their five-game winning streak come to a disappointing end.
Here are all the takeaways from the win:
Capitals Third Line Of Protas-McMichael-Mantha Finds Spark, But Offensive Struggles Still Present
After managing just one goal over the last two games, head coach Spencer Carbery made some adjustments to the forward lines, and the third line was the one to break out.
Anthony Mantha, Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas led the charge offensively, playing with speed and tenacity and forechecking hard. It resulted in two goals and multi-point efforts for all linemates, as Mantha and McMichael each had a goal and assist while Protas, who now ranks second on the team in assists, had two helpers.
Mantha led the team with four shots and Protas is now tied for second in assists on the team, but McMichael was easily the best player on the forecheck all night.
The 22-year-old was active in keeping pucks alive and getting to the high-danger areas. He now has 10 points in 18 games this season, putting him on pace for 46 points this season.
Despite getting two goals, Washington's offense also continued to struggle. The Capitals, on a couple of occasions throughout the night, went minutes without a shot on goal and were ultimately outshot 38-15. The team didn't get a power play to work with.
Lindgren Makes Most Of Return To Crease, Defense Steps Up As PK Redeems Itself
After having a tough time a few days back against the Edmonton Oilers, Lindgren was hungry for redemption against the Kings. He did just that with a stellar showing.
The 29-year-old was locked in for his first-ever start against the Kings, who lead the league in goals per game (4.00). Lindgren was flexible and agile in the crease, coming up ith some nice pad stops while also utilizing his quick glove. He was confident, sharp and moving quickly, and he did a good job of tracking the play and controlling the tempo while not giving up much in terms of rebounds.
Lindgren ended the night with 37 saves on 38 shots (.974 save percentage).
It wasn't just Lindgren, though. Washington got a strong defensive performance. The blue line did a good job holding down the fort and acclimated well with some slight tweaks, as Rasmus Sandin went to work with Trevor van Riemsdyk while Joel Edmundson and Nick Jensen were paired together.
In addition, the penalty kill redeemed itself; after allowing power-play goals in three straight games, Washington went 3-for-3 on the PK against the high-flying Kings to shut things down. The team also had a big kill in the third to preserve a 2-1 lead.
Shot blocks also proved vital, as Washington's blueliners and forwards were stepping in front of pucks and sacrificing the body. The Captials ended the night with 21 attempts blocked. Nic Dowd led with five blocks.
Coach's Challenge Finally Goes In Capitals' Favor
Going into Wednesday's game, Washington hadn't had much luck when it came to calls or coach's challenges, losing each one this season. This time, though, Carbery was the one to challenge — and finally, the Capitals got a challenge to go their way.
Anze Kopitar had tied the game on a one-timer after the Kings sustained pressure for nearly a minute in the offensive zone. However, before that long shift, Kopitar's entry had been offside, and Brett Leonhardt and Emily Engel-Natzke had noticed, leading to the challenge.
It's the first time that Washington had a coach's challenge go in its favor, and ultimately, it won the game.