The Washington Capitals will not name their starting goalie ahead of Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens begin their first-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in a matchup of the top seed and final Wild Card teams in the Eastern Conference. The Caps enter as the Metropolitan Division winners and number one seed in the East, but a huge question lingers ahead of Game 1.
Who will the Capitals start in goal?
Logan Thompson, who has been the starter all season long, sustained an untimely injury late in the regular season. An upper-body injury forced him out for the team's final seven games, but he rejoined the team in practice. The Capitals' head coach, Spencer Carbery, was asked directly about the team's starter in net for Game 1. The coach played coy with his response.
"Find out tonight," he told reporters.
Carbery might have tipped his hand despite the cagey answer. The Hockey News' Capitals beat writer, Sammi Silber, reported that Thompson was the first goalie off the ice at the team's morning skate. That usually indicates the starter, but the head coach wouldn't reveal anything until warm ups.
Thompson is the goalie who gives the team their best chance in this series. He was outstanding this year, going 31-6-6 with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. He's likely to be a Vezina Trophy finalist as the NHL's best goaltender this season, but he can add even more hardware to his resume if he can backstop the Capitals to the Stanley Cup.
If Thompson can't go, the Caps will turn to veteran Charlie Lindgren. The 31-year-old has filled in admirably for his running mate, appearing in 39 games during the regular season. He posted a record of 20-14-3 with a 2.73 GAA and .896 save percentage. The Capitals prefer Thompson, but they trust Lindgren to earn a victory if Thompson is unavailable.
