📸 : RMNB
The Washington Capitals dropped another in regulation, 3-2, to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. The loss leaves them 1-5-1 in their last seven games and without a road win since October 24 in Columbus.
More of the same issues plagued the Capitals, and they left with more of the same result. The road trip doesn’t get any easier from here either.
- Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Capitals dominated the game five-on-five but couldn’t finish their chances and lost the special teams battle. The Caps owned 63 percent of the expected goals at all strengths but were burned by a Lightning power-play goal, and their number-one netminder had a rough night for the first time this season. They also did not score on their lone power-play chance.
- I say Logan Thompson had a rough night, but he only let in three goals. Per MoneyPuck, he allowed 1.31 more goals than expected, and I imagine a lot of that comes on Tampa Bay’s third goal, which he really needed to stop. Thompson finished with just 16 saves, making his first non-quality start of the season.
- Brandon Duhaime scored his first goal of the season. I thought Ethen Frank had a great game and really brought some new juice to that fourth line. If the rest of the lineup isn’t chipping in, the Capitals are going to need some secondary scoring from Nic Dowd and his wingers.
Sandin has now recorded a point in three straight games (1g-2a–3p) and a point in five of his last six games played (1g-4a–5p). https://t.co/PngiIyg0no
— Capitals PR (@CapitalsPR) November 9, 2025
- Aliaksei Protas had several big chances in this game and couldn’t put one away. He’s one of the guys who really needs to pick up the pace right now. Protas ended the night with five shots on goal, five individual scoring chances, two individual high-danger chances, two hits, and one shot block.
- Justin Sourdif played just 7:31 of total ice time in the loss, right after playing just 7:17 against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. I don’t have a big takeaway (yet) from that other than it’s something to keep an eye on.
- The Capitals’ next three opponents are the always tough Carolina Hurricanes (10-4-0), back-to-back Cup champion Florida Panthers (7-7-1), and the division-leading New Jersey Devils (11-4-0). Tough run for a slumping squad.
Numbers thanks to Hockey-Reference, NaturalStatTrick, and HockeyStatCards.
