It is amazing just how much things have changed for the Washington Capitals since they got knocked out by the New York Rangers in the first round of last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
This season, the Capitals were the best team in the Metropolitan Division, the Eastern Conference, and had the league’s second best record at 51-22-9 for 111 points. Last year, the Capitals barely made the playoffs as they finished in the second wild card spot with a record of 40-31-11 for 91 points.
While it is easy to credit the team’s offense (second in the league in goals scored with 286) and better defensive play (ninth in the league in goals allowed), there was something else at play this season who was a big reason for the team’s turnaround. That player would be goaltender Logan Thompson.
Logan Thompson, 28, had a terrific regular season for his hockey club this season. He went 31-6-0-6 with a 2.49 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Due his strong and consistent play in the regular season, the team re-signed him to a six-year, $35.1 million contract extension in January. At the time of the extension, Capitals General Manager Chris Patrick said that Thompson had shown that he is one of the top goaltenders in the league.
“We are pleased to sign Logan to a multi-year contract,” said Patrick. “Logan has demonstrated that he is one of the top goaltenders in the NHL this season and since he joined the League. With his size and exceptional athleticism, we are confident that this signing will enhance one of the most critical positions on our team, especially as he enters the prime years of his career.”
Not only did Thompson play well in the regular season, but he has carried it into this year’s postseason. He was one of his team’s best players in his club’s 4-1 series win over the Montreal Canadiens.
In the series, Thompson went 4-1 with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage while also dealing with a head injury after colliding with teammate Dylan Strome near the net in Game 3. Regarding the head injury, Thompson said he was thankful that it was not as bad as it could have been.
“I kind of got my bell rung a bit there,” Thompson said. “Scary. It definitely could have been a lot worse.”
After the injury scare, Thompson went out and more than got the job done for his hockey club. He stopped 44 of the 47 shots he faced and was especially sharp in his team’s series-clinching 4-1 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday night, April 30.
In the win, Thompson stopped 28 of 29 shots and told the team’s website that he felt sharp while also crediting his teammates for getting the job done in front of him.
“I felt good today,” says Thompson. “I think the team was doing a good job of letting me see it. There wasn’t many pucks that I didn’t see tonight, so credit to the group in front of me for making my life a little easier.”
In general, Logan Thompson is doing the same thing he did in the regular season. He is being consistent, now allowing soft goals, coming up with the big save when his team needs one, and winning hockey games.
If Thompson and the Capitals continue to play this way, hockey’s Holy Grail could be well within reach.
ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again – Inside The Rink
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