Less than 48 hours after leaving the ice in visible pain, Logan Thompson was back in net for the Capitals on Sunday night. Thompson was the victim of friendly fire late in Game 3 when Dylan Strome careened into him, sending them both barreling into the net.
Though Thompson returned to the ice for Sunday’s morning skate, his status for Game 4 was uncertain until shortly before puck drop (though some of that ambiguity appeared to be intentional subterfuge from the Caps). He spoke to the media postgame for the first time since the injury, offering more details on what happened.
When he exited the ice in Game 3, Thompson appeared to have a lower-body injury, seeming to struggle to put any weight on his left leg, but his comments Sunday night suggest that his head was the primary concern.
“I kind of got my bell rung a bit there,” he said. “You know, scary. I think it definitely could have been a lot worse.”
Another injury from earlier this month further complicated Thompson’s prognosis — he missed the last seven games of the regular season after taking a puck to the mask. He said that that injury, combined with his loss of balance after the hit on Friday, necessitated additional tests.
“But coming back from an injury, I had to do some protocol,” he said. “I kind of lost my balance getting up. But luckily things were okay, and I’m able to play. But thankful that it wasn’t worse, because it definitely, I think, looked a lot worse than it was.”
Thompson didn’t hold any hard feelings for Strome after the hit, noting his own failure to predict the play before the collision.
“Stromer was back-checking, I didn’t read the play well, and I got caught with my head down, and unfortunately, Stromer didn’t see me there,” he said. “It’s a crappy play to be a part of, and it wasn’t intentional. Just thankful that I’m able to play today.”
After stellar performances in Games 1 and 2, Thompson helped the Capitals to a win once again on Saturday, allowing just two goals in the 5-2 victory. He and his teammates will have a chance to close out the series at home in Game 5 on Wednesday night.
