The Washington Capitals were not themselves in the first period and fell into a two-goal hole against the Tampa Bay Lightning early on Thanksgiving Eve, watching helplessly as Brayden Point scored twice.
“Tough start to the game,” Spencer Carbery said. “Just felt like we were overwhelmed a little bit, couldn’t handle a puck, back on our heels to get out of that period.”
The Capitals responded with two goals of their own from Andrew Mangipane and Aliaksei Protas in the second period to tie, but gave up a Michael Eyssimont tally with 44 seconds remaining in the stanza, sending them back into their locker room trailing at intermission again.
“The guys made a decision in the second period to find a way to dig in and get to our game,” Carbery said. “Didn’t mean we were going to score, but get to our game and that’s what we did. We were able to turn momentum, had some great shifts to start the second period and turn the momentum of the game.”
Then in the third period, the Capitals’ leadership group stepped up. And there was no player whose scrappiness in the final 20 minutes defined the Capitals’ comeback victory more than Dylan Strome.
First, Strome scored on a two-on-one break with Taylor Raddysh, beating Andrei Vasilevskiy short side with a quick one-timer 1:37 into the third period. Strome’s goal clawed the Capitals back to tie for a second time on the evening.
“I feel like some guys had some tough nights tonight,” Carbery said. “Like it was just off for whatever reason. But the game tightened up and we needed some plays here and there. Dylan Strome’s a prime example. Steps up, makes a huge play. We moved that line around. Raddy makes that pass and Stromer steps up. Huge play.”
Five minutes and 48 seconds later though, Charlie Lindgren gave the Lightning back the lead in the most deflating way possible, backhanding the puck into his own net while attempting a clear. But the Capitals were not discouraged about the own goal. They just became even more determined, screaming encouragement to Lindgren from the bench.
“When our leadership and it’s our whole bench is saying those things, I don’t need to come over the top and say a word,” Carbery said. “And they just have a love and appreciation for Chuckie Lindgren and what he’s doing for this team over the years. So you know this isn’t just them saying it. They’re going to go out and try to do everything they possibly can to get him a goal back to make that right.”
Alternate captain John Carlson tied the Capitals with the Lightning for a third different time, scoring on a sensational individual effort three minutes and five seconds after Lindgren’s gaffe.
And then Strome authored one of the most tough moments of his hockey career. The Capitals’ first-line center was high-sticked in the mouth by Anthony Cirelli with 4:03 remaining. Strome, laying on the ice, could be seen spitting out pieces of teeth out of his mouth.
“Might have lost some chiclets here,” TNT’s Darren Pang observed from his perch between the two benches as Strome skated back to the Capitals bench. “He definitely lost two bottom teeth on that play there.”
Strome’s sacrifice though led to Cirelli receiving a double minor for high-sticking, giving the Caps a four-minute power play to end the game.
The Caps lost the initial offensive zone faceoff, but Strome jumped onto the ice as the Lightning cleared, joining his teammates on their next rush up the ice. After receiving a pass at the top of the right circle, Strome dished to Jakob Chychrun. The first pairing defenseman ripped a shot from the point that alternate captain Tom Wilson deflected past Vasilevskiy and into the back of the net. Wilson’s tally gave the Capitals their first lead of the night. And it came 37 seconds after Strome’s mouth injury. The pivot got the secondary assist on the play — his second point of the period.
The Capitals would hold on to win 5-4, but another reminder of Strome came in the final minute where Nikita Kucherov saw something on the ice before a faceoff and may have swept Strome’s tooth to the corner.
After the game, Strome was asked if he indeed lost any teeth.
“Half of one I think,” Strome said per the Capitals. “I don’t know. It feels weird in there. It doesn’t feel good… We found a way to get one on the power play. Unfortunately, my teeth took a little bit of a hit on the play. But it’s all good, we got the win.”
“You’re going to have nights where you’re not feeling it, but when a game is competitive and you’re trying to do everything you can to just try to muster up something, to contribute, to just give us something,” Carbery concluded. “That’s what [Strome and Carlson] did in those two moments during the third period. And I think it just speaks volumes to not only them as leaders and players, and our group in general of what guys want to do to try and help the rest of the team.”
For an off night, Strome still managed to dominate. With him on the ice at five-on-five, the Capitals out-attempted the Lightning 12 to 8, out-chanced them 8 to 4, and had an expected goals percentage of 61.9.
“I’m feeling good now, feeling good,” Strome said. “Spittin’ chiclets.”
