The Washington Capitals took a 2-1 win at home over the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night, a much-needed victory after an eight-game stretch with just three wins. Spencer Carbery notched his 100th win as the head coach, a well-deserved milestone. The Capitals looked better than in games past, and the defense kept them in the game from start to finish. Let’s look at a few things the team and fans can take away from the victory.
Charlie Lindgren Stood Tall
There was, perhaps, no player more deserving of an MVP title than goaltender Charlie Lindgren. He has just two wins in his six games this season, and this one was exceptional. The netminder faced 31 shots, saving all but one — a power-play goal. He posted a .968 save percentage (SV%), his highest in the last five games. Without the strong in-net presence of Lindgren, the Capitals would not have been able to secure their victory.
Defense Steps Up
Defense was the name of the game in this match, both on the blue line and in front of the net. The first goal of the game belonged to Matt Roy, a defenseman, who played with the Kings for six seasons. It was his first goal of the season. Another blueliner, Jakob Chychrun, notched a point with the secondary assist on Alex Ovechkin’s goal in the second period. Chychrun is on a four-game point streak and has 14 points overall this season.
The defense came up big on the backend, as well. They registered four hits, 11 blocked shots, six shots at the net, and three takeaways. They held strong against a talented Kings forward crew and kept them to just one goal. The Capitals’ defense has been strong all season and is a major asset for the team.
Line Shakeups Found Their Groove
After recent mediocre success, a line shakeup was in order, and Carbery delivered. Connor McMichael joined the top line alongside Ovechkin and Dylan Strome, taking the place of Anthony Beauvillier. He took McMichael’s third line slot. Newcomer Justin Sourdif centered the second line, flanked on either side by Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson. Usual fourth-liner Nic Dowd was bumped up to the third line, with Hendrix Lapierre slotting into his place.
Related: Highs and Lows of the Capitals’ Season So Far
With a change in personnel on every line, it would not have been surprising if the going was bumpy for the Capitals. However, the players adjusted quickly and seemed to find chemistry from the get-go. Two shots on goal, and Roy’s goal came in the first four minutes of play. The home team totaled 25 shots on goal. It is expected that Carbery will keep these lines relatively similar after they played such a solid game.
Special Teams Still Need Work
Luckily for Washington, this was a disciplined game from both teams. The Kings took just two minor penalties and the Capitals just three. They continue to struggle on special teams, and last night was no exception. The Capitals did not score on either of their man-advantages and allowed the Kings’ only goal to come during a penalty kill.
It seems that it will take a lot of effort to shape up Washington’s special teams, but something has to be done. Their stellar five-on-five performances have been overshadowed by their struggling defense on the penalty kill and inability to score on a power play. Should they be able to hone it in and be successful on special teams, they will be a force to be reckoned with from puck drop to the final whistle.
This much-needed victory has both the team and fans breathing a sigh of relief. It is early in the season still, but the Capitals need to continue this momentum as they play back-to-back against the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens and finish the week against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
