On Wednesday night, Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren mishandled the puck a bit too carelessly.
With 12:35 left in the third period, as he moved to block a shot from Lightning center Brayden Point, Lindgren inadvertently deflected the puck back into his own net, allowing the Lightning to take a 4-3 lead and giving Point a hat trick.
Fortunately for Lindgren, his teammates responded quickly. Just over three minutes later, defenseman John Carlson brought the score to 4-4. Shortly after, right winger Tom Wilson scored on a power play, putting Washington ahead 5-4 and ensuring the victory.
Lindgren certainly owes Carlson and Wilson his gratitude.
Following their win over Tampa Bay, the Capitals improved their record to 15-6-1. They are set to face the New York Islanders (8-10-5) on Friday.
For that matchup and the rest of the season, the Capitals will likely need more from Lindgren, whose save percentage of .901 through his first 10 starts ranks 33rd in the NHL. It’s crucial for him to keep better track of his own goal moving forward.
