The Washington Capitals will get goaltender Charlie Lindgren in the net for two starts in a row on Saturday night. Lindgren, who was the winner in Thursday’s OT triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets, was the only netminder on the ice for the team at their morning skate.
Lindgren’s tandem mate, Darcy Kuemper, did not get any work in as the Capitals announced he was sitting out for maintenance. However, Kuemper is expected to be available to back up Lindgren against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Lindgren has been one of the best goaltenders in the entire league this season. In 13 appearances, he has amassed a 7-3-2 record with a 2.40 goals-against average, a .927 save percentage, and two shutouts. According to MoneyPuck, he is also one of just seven backstops to stop 11 or more goals above expected this season.
Head coach Spencer Carbery has split the starts for his goaltenders almost right down the middle in the month of December. Saturday night will be Lindgren’s sixth in the month while Kuemper has taken the starter’s net five times.
Carbery has previously said that due to Lindgren’s strong play, he’ll be handling the team’s netminding situation on a game-by-game basis.
“I understand the optics and questions and Darcy and how that will come into question, but at the same time it’s an 82-game schedule and I know that we’re going to need multiple goaltenders,” Carbery said in November. “And Charlie’s playing well and Charlie deserves to play again. I’m sure the roles will be reversed at some point but Charlie’s going to start tonight.”
After a bit of a slow start to the 2023-24 campaign, Kuemper has turned it on in his last three outings. In those appearances, he is 3-0 with a 1.61 goals-against average, a .947 save percentage, and tallied 2.92 goals saved more than expected.
The Lightning come into Saturday’s contest winners of two in a row and sporting the NHL’s leading scorer in Nikita Kucherov. The Russian sniper has 57 points (23g, 34a) through 33 games and is riding a four-game point streak where he has racked up 10 points (4g, 6a).
The two teams will be facing off for the first time this season. Puck drop is at 7 pm inside Capital One Arena.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
