Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery didn’t provide an injury update on Logan Thompson today, but did seem to clear a path for Charlie Lindgren to start game four against the Canadiens on Sunday, per NHL.com reporter Dan Rosen.
Thompson had a rough game three in multiple ways. He not only let in five goals but also collided with teammate Dylan Strome in the third period that resulted in his exit from the game. While his exact injury isn’t known, it appeared Thompson may have suffered a leg injury (though he also seemed to hold his head following the collision). And while Carbery didn’t provide an update on Thompson’s status, he did seem to clarify who would be between the pipes for game four. As Rosen notes, Carbery told reporters, “It’ll be next man up for us and we know ’Chucky’ Lindgren. He’s done a great job. He’s a great goaltender.”
While Lingren provides a solid veteran option for Washinton for the short term, his .894 save percentage this past season, in addition to his lack of playoff experience (four career starts), probably isn’t inspiring many within the organization if Thompson does miss significant time.
And while Thompson also doesn’t own a lot of playoff experience (seven career starts), he is coming off of a Vezina-candidate regular season where we produced a 31-6-6 record to go along with a .910 save percentage and 2.49 goals against average. His return to health, as well as efficiency, will be key to Washington’s Stanley Cup aspirations. The 27-year-old owns a career .912 save percentage and a 137-87-38 record.