The Washington Capitals edged the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 in a thrilling contest on Wednesday night, but the game will likely be remembered for an unusual moment involving Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren. Trying to play the puck and seemingly ring it around the boards behind his net, he fired it directly into his net to get Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead.
CHARLIE LINDGREN JUST SHOT THE PUCK INTO HIS OWN NET ? pic.twitter.com/TW3XkKrxqy
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 28, 2024
Lindgren accidentally shot the puck into his own net while attempting to clear it off the end boards. It was ruled a goal for Brayden Point (his 15th of the season). Despite the bizarre mishap, the Capitals secured the victory thanks to a goal three minutes later by John Carlson, and then a late power-play goal by Tom Wilson, his second point of the night.
Andrew Mangiapane, Dylan Strome, Aliaksei Protas, John Carlson, and Wilson scored for Washington. Strome and Protas each added assists, as did Wilson, who sealed the win with the game-winner.
For the Lightning, Brayden Point delivered a hat trick in the losing effort (thanks to Lindgren, of course).
Lindgren’s night was a rollercoaster. While the own-goal was an unfortunate blunder, he also made 24 saves, including several key stops to keep the Capitals in the game. Had the Capitals lost, it would have been a different story. But, because of the win, it wound up being a stressful evening, but no harm was done.
The Capitals’ power play continued its strong form, now with eight goals in their last nine games. The team also recorded its eighth come-from-behind win of the season, tying them with Vegas and Winnipeg for the league lead.
Washington will face the New York Islanders on Friday, aiming to build on this momentum.
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