Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren left in the first period of Friday night’s game against the New York Islanders. The 30-year-old goalie took a puck up high early in the game and left a few minutes later. At the same time, defender Martin Fehervary was injured after a trip from Anders Lee and left the game.
The Washington Capitals announced both players have upper-bodies injury and will not return.
Lindgren’s injuring shot came in the game’s first two minutes off the stick of New York’s Brock Nelson
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#ALLCAPS Fehervary was tripped. Also this shows the shot that hurt Lindgren pic.twitter.com/7lrnABNDb7
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) December 30, 2023
Lindgren remained in the game for another four minutes before exiting on his own accord. Darcy Kuemper came on in relief. Monumental Sports Network reports that the emergency backup goalie is Thomas Sullivan, who played parts of three seasons at Stony Brook University.
This was Lindgren’s first appearance in six days, since a shootout win over the Lightning on December 23. The Capitals play again Saturday night at home against the Nashville Predators, so a recall from Hershey seems likely. Hunter Shepard, the team’s third goalie on the depth chart, is backing up Clay Stevenson in the Bears’ game tonight in Rochester, so he’d be the expected call-up, if needed.
Martin Fehervary had played just three shifts and 2:18 of ice time before Anders Lee knocked him onto the ice and into the boards. As the Capitals play with five defenders, John Carlson appears to be the one who will pick up the slack. He has already played two more minutes (10:03) than the next closest defender, Rasmus Sandin.
Update: Spencer Carbery did not have positive news about either player after the game.
