John Carlson scored a crucial goal, Charlie Lindgren shut down all 16 shots against the Boston Bruins, propelling the Washington Capitals closer to a playoff berth with a 2-0 victory on Monday night. Nic Dowd sealed the win with an empty-net goal just seconds before the buzzer.
A win against Philadelphia on Tuesday would secure Washington’s playoff spot, regardless of other NHL outcomes. Currently positioned as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals are vying for postseason action after the New York Islanders secured third place in the Metropolitan Division.
While Boston still had a shot at clinching the Atlantic Division title by beating Washington, their urgency fell short against a Capitals team fighting fiercely for playoff contention. Dylan Strome’s pivotal play, setting up Carlson’s goal with a faceoff win, epitomized Washington’s determination. Lindgren’s standout performance in goal thwarted the Bruins’ scoring attempts, including denying top scorer David Pastrnak multiple times.
Despite facing defensive challenges due to injuries, with key players sidelined, the Capitals leaned heavily on Carlson’s ice time to navigate through the game. The absence of depth winger Beck Malenstyn, sidelined with an upper-body injury, added to Washington’s adversity.
Looking ahead, the Bruins are set to face the Ottawa Senators next, likely with Linus Ullmark in goal if their regular rotation continues.
