: Alan Dobbins/RMNB WASHINGTON, DC In the biggest Logan Thompson news of the day, the Capitals' starting goaltender has chosen a goal song. Thompson, now playing his second season in Washington, has selected Olivia Dean's pop hit Man I Need for his signature tune, as shown on the Capital One Arena scoreboard during warmups on Wednesday. Capitals players have been able to choose their own goal songs since the 2019-20 season, but Thompson had thus far gone without one.
Logan Thompson again was great in net, saving all 39 shots he faced including a deluge to begin the third period when the Caps were at one point being outshot 14-3. But he, and the whole team, had their work cut out for them about halfway through the third when when Hendrix Lapierre took a double minor for high sticking while clinging to a one-goal lead.
With his 39-save shutout, Thompson became the 17th goaltender in NHL history to reach 100 wins in 170 games or fewer, joining a list of names that includes Hockey Hall of Famers and Ilya Samsonov. Fewest games played to reach 100 wins in NHL history * Denotes a Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Eight of the 17 goaltenders have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on this list - over 50 percent - while Michel "Bunny" Larocque (1977, 1978, 1979, & 1981) and Igor Shesterkin (2022) have won Vezina Trophies.
This one looked like a classic trap game. With just one day off, after a three-in-four-days West Coast road trip, with key guys missing and a Columbus goalie who has given the Caps fits...this seemed like a tough ask for the Caps. But they were able to grind out a win thanks to some strong goaltending, a good cycle play in the second period, and a killer penalty kill on a double-minor late in regulation.
Hockey players are no stranger to bridging the language gap. With more than a dozen countries represented across the NHL, learning English is often a vital part of adjusting to the league. But for Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson, the flow of knowledge is going the other way. Thompson has started to pick up some Russian, enlisting Aliaksei Protas as a tutor. Protas, who hails from from Vitebsk, Belarus, was all to happy to oblige.
"First of all, I have tons of respect for Andersen as a goalie and a player in this league," Thompson said. "I grew up watching him, and (have) a lot of respect. "I think it's just one of those things where you see your guys a little outnumbered there, so I just wanted to try and come and help out. But again, no animosity towards him, and I'm a big fan of his game."
Strome was a full participant in the team's morning skate, but head coach Spencer Carbery was unwilling to say whether he'd be good to go against the New York Islanders on Friday night. The 28-year-old center has already missed one game with a lower-body injury that he suffered early in a loss to the Ottawa Senators last weekend. "We'll see," Carbery said. "Got to talk to the medical staff and we'll see for tonight."
