The Washington Capitals saved their scoring prowess until the third period, netting three goals, two of which came from their captain, to secure a 3-0 victory. Charlie Lindgren demonstrated his prowess by stopping all 27 shots directed at him, earning his sixth shutout of the season. Lindgren currently leads all goaltenders in wins for the month of March.
Lindgren successfully denied all four power play attempts and stopped the remaining 23 shots during even-strength play. Despite the Winnipeg Jets having two power play opportunities, they failed to capitalize, going 0 for 2.
The shot count favored the Jets in the first period, 9-8, and in the second period, 11-3. However, the Capitals held the advantage in shots during the crucial moments of the game, outshooting the Jets 8-7 in the third period and ultimately prevailing in goals. Despite being outshot by the Jets 27-19 overall, Lindgren’s stellar performance, including his reliable glove saves, proved insurmountable for Winnipeg.
John Carlson notched his seventh goal of the season with a power play strike from the point, finally breaking through. Max Pacioretty and T.J. Oshie provided the assists on the goal. Carlson is nearing the milestone of 1,000 games played himself. Prior to the game, the Capitals recognized Oshie for reaching this milestone on March 16 in Vancouver.
Alex Ovechkin and Connor McMichael collaborated off a face-off, resulting in a goal to double the lead. Ovechkin claimed the goal at 3:36 of the game. Later, Ovechkin found the back of the net again at the 12-minute mark, scoring with a backhanded shot. Dylan Strome and Oshie were credited with assists on this goal.
This marked Ovechkin’s 26th goal of the season and the 848th of his career, putting him 46 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s record. With this win, the Capitals have moved ahead of the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington is set to face off against Detroit on Tuesday night in the district.