In each of their first two meetings, the Caps and Bolts had combined for a total of five goals; tonight, they’d done that much damage in just the first period, with Tampa following the Caps’ opening-minute tally with four straight. A bit of a wild one followed, with the Caps clawing back to within one before Tampa’s late goal off a funky bounce gave them the victory and the season series win.
Plus: Full credit to Charlie Lindgren for coming in to relieve Logan Thompson after LT was dinged for four goals and stopping the bleeding for as long as he could.
Minus: That first period was one of the uglier periods of hockey we’ve seen out of the Caps this season, despite the fact that it started off strong. A combination of sloppy play in front of Logan Thompson and some that Thompson should have had regardless resulted in a 4-1 hole before the game was 20 minutes old. Not ideal.
Caps Player of the Game: Just one assist on the scoresheet but Tom Wilson was EVERYWHERE tonight, playing physical, getting in the Lightning players’ faces, even begrudgingly fighting (and soundly beating) Tampa’s Curtis Douglas.