The Washington Capitals knew the stakes of Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. A six-game losing streak had pushed them out of a playoff spot, erasing many of the gains they had made with a 9-5-1 record in March. And with Detroit a point ahead of them for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot, another loss would all but guarantee an early end to their season.
“To me it felt like a do or die game,” goaltender Charlie Lindgren said afterwards. “We’re coming off a few games in a row where we were on the wrong side of it. And playing against a team that’s right next to us in the standings, I felt like it was a must-win situation. We need to get some momentum back.”
Detroit, just as desperate for those two points, came out hot, while Washington struggled to generate offense of its own. The Capitals’ night, like so many others this season, came down to Lindgren — and he delivered.
Lindgren recorded a staggering 42 saves against the Red Wings: one fewer than his single-game record with the Capitals. After a breakout season that saw him carry his team into playoff contention, Lindgren stood tall once again to keep them in the hunt.
“That game doesn’t go our way without Chuckie,” Dylan Strome said after the win. “Played unbelievable — and he’s been doing that for the last however many months now.”
The 30-year-old netminder played a perfect game until nearly the final second of the contest, when Patrick Kane spoiled what would have been Lindgren’s sixth shutout of the season with less than two seconds on the clock. Still, his performance, which featured 2.66 goals saved above expected, effectively stole the game for the Capitals and earned him First Star honors.
In the biggest game of the season, Chuckie decided to cosplay as a brick wall and we're all better for it#CapsWings | #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/UweVBhxWvv
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 10, 2024
Tuesday night was far from the first time Lindgren has turned the tides of a game. He has proven the Capitals’ most valuable player as they claw their way down the stretch — perhaps the most unexpected factor in an unexpected run.
“He was unbelievable — all year,” Alex Ovechkin said. “He’s fighting. We try to do our best to help him out.”
Head coach Spencer Carbery made sure to highlight Lindgren’s impact in his postgame locker room speech.
“This guy: un-f*$%-real job,” he said, followed by a raucous round of applause. “He gives us a chance to win a game. Holds f*&% strong as we find our footing. As we start to take over that game, he made some f*&% unbelievable saves. Great job, Chuckie.”
Bolstered by Lindgren’s heroics, the Capitals have regained the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot with just four games remaining. They will need Lindgren’s help more than ever as they face down the final week of the season.
