Photo: Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images
The Washington Capitals were defeated by the New York Islanders by a score of 5-1 Friday night at UBS Arena. The loss dropped the Capitals’ record to 17-11-5 and 39 points on the season. Goaltender Charlie Lindgren made three saves before exiting with an upper-body injury. Darcy Kuemper made 24 remaining saves in the loss.
The Lineup
Alex Ovechkin – Connor McMichael – Tom Wilson
Aliaksei Protas – Dylan Strome – Anthony Mantha
Hendrix Lapierre – Evgeny Kuznetsov – Matthew Phillips
Beck Malenstyn – Nic Dowd – Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary – John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Joel Edmundson – Nick Jensen
Lindgren
Kuemper
Scratches: Left-wing Ivan Miroshnichenko and defensemen Alex Alexeyev
Injuries: Right-wing T.J. Oshie (upper-body), left-wing Sonny Milano (upper-body), center Nicklas Backstrom (hip) and left-wing Max Pacioretty (Achilles)
First Period
Just over six minutes in, Lindgren left with an apparent injury after some discomfort following a high save. Just before Kuemper replaced him in the net, Fehervary was tripped and fell awkwardly into the boards behind the net and headed down the tunnel.
ALLCAPS Fehervary was tripped. Also this shows the shot that hurt Lindgren pic.twitter.com/7lrnABNDb7
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) December 30, 2023
The Capitals announced during first intermission that Lindgren sustained an upper-body injury and would not return.
UPDATE: #Caps goaltender Charlie Lindgren sustained an upper body injury and will not return.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 30, 2023
Fehervary’s night was also done due to an upper-body injury.
UPDATE: #Caps defenseman Martin Fehervary sustained an upper body injury and will not return.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 30, 2023
Quick Stats
SOG: 11-8 Islanders
Face-Off Win %: 73% (Islanders), 26% (Capitals)
Hits: 8-4 Islanders
Second Period
The Islanders would get the night’s first goal from center Jean-Gabriel Pageau at the 4:50 mark.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 30, 2023
Sixty-eight seconds later, defenseman Noah Dobson would give the Islanders a 2-0 lead.
Dobson nets one! pic.twitter.com/TlvY5wvLNy
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 30, 2023
Quick Stats
Total SOG: 22-18 Islanders
Face-Off Win %: 55% (Islanders), 44% (Capitals)
Total Hits: 12-9 Islanders
Third Period
Julien Gauthier would extend New York’s lead to 3-0 at the 10:10 mark.
1 of 2 for #16 pic.twitter.com/zGTwDsKT6N
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 30, 2023
Gauthier would pot his second of the night just eighteen seconds later, making a 4-0 game in favor of the Islanders.
2 of 2 for #16 pic.twitter.com/8mPTuH1wyj
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 30, 2023
The Islanders would go up 5-0 with Pageau’s second goal of the the night with less than six minutes left.
Oh, he on X-Games mode. pic.twitter.com/3wfje45d05
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 30, 2023
With eighteen seconds left, Aube-Kubel (3) would add a late goal for the Capitals. Sandin (8) and Jensen (6) assisted.
Quick Stats
Total SOG: 32-27 Islanders
Face-Off Win %: 58% (Islanders), 41% (Capitals)
Total Hits: 17-13 Islanders
The Capitals are back in action on Saturday, hosting the Nashville Predators at Capital One Arena in their final 2023 game. Monumental Sports Network will have the coverage beginning at 7 PM ET.
By Della Young