CALGARY, Alberta — In an exciting match on Tuesday evening, the Washington Capitals triumphed over the Calgary Flames with a score of 3-1. Logan Thompson showcased his skills, making an impressive 32 saves, while Pierre-Luc Dubois, Dylan Strome, and Aliaksei Protas each found the back of the net for Washington. The lone goal for Calgary came from Blake Coleman during a power play, with Dustin Wolf recording 20 saves in goal for the Flames.
Thompson was particularly outstanding in the early stages of the game, even as the Flames outshot the Capitals 13-5 in the first period. He executed critical saves, including a pad stop against Ryan Lomberg during a breakaway, as well as a stick save against Nazem Kadri, who had a partial breakaway. The goalkeeper’s prowess continued to shine following the announcement of his six-year contract extension worth $35.1 million, as he achieved his sixth consecutive win, improving his record to an impressive 11-0-1 over his last 12 appearances.
In noteworthy moments, Andrew Mangiapane received a heartfelt welcome from Calgary fans in his return, following a video tribute that honored his nine-year stint with the team. Additionally, Tyson Barrie made his return to the lineup after being sidelined for 31 games. The veteran defenseman contributed to Coleman’s goal with a well-placed shot from the blue line after completing a two-game conditioning loan in the AHL.
A pivotal moment in the match occurred shortly after Coleman leveled the score at 1-1 with his goal at 12:17 of the second period. Unfortunately for the Flames, just nine seconds into a penalty kill, Coleman inadvertently placed his team at a disadvantage when he gloved a rebound. This infraction led to a two-man advantage for the Capitals, which Strome capitalized on within 18 seconds, scoring with a backhand into the top corner from close range.
Notably, this loss marked only the third time this season that Wolf was defeated at home, where he had previously held an impressive record of 12-2-1 alongside a .936 save percentage. Looking ahead, the Capitals will next take on the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, while the Flames are set to face off against the Anaheim Ducks the same evening.
