TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Andrei Vasilevskiy made 31 saves for his 35th career shutout and the Tampa Bay Lightning ended the Washington Capitals’ five-game winning streak with a 3-0 victory on Saturday night.
Vasilevskiy was at his best in the second period, stopping all 16 shots he faced. He robbed Pierre-Luc Dubois and Dylan Strome late in the period — and got some help from the post on another shot by Dubois. It was the 297th victory of his career and his first shutout against Washington.
Mitchell Chaffee gave the Lightning a 1-0 lead at 5:27 of the second period, deflecting a shot by Nick Paul past Washington goaltender Charlie Lindgren, who finished with 17 saves. Brayden Point made it 2-0 at 2:26 of the third period, and Conor Geekie scored his first NHL goal at 3:10.
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Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) gets past Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Tampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening (11) blocks a shot by Washington Capitals right wing Taylor Raddysh (16) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) moves the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) and center Luke Glendening (11) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81) and Washington Capitals center Connor McMichael (24) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome (17) works around a stick check by Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point (21) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) gets around Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun (6) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Mitchell Chaffee (41) celebrates his goal against the Washington Capitals with left wing Nick Paul (20), center Michael Eyssimont (23) and defenseman Erik Cernak (81) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara) -
Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) makes a save as he gets knocked over by Tampa Bay Lightning center Luke Glendening during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
Nikita Kucherov extended his season-opening point streak to eight games with the primary assist on Point’s goal.
Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, who has 50 career goals in 82 games against the Lightning, was limited to two shots on goal.
Takeaways
Capitals: Washington had outscored its opponents 23-13 during the five-game winning streak.
Lightning: Tampa Bay has scored first in each of its eight games this season, but this was the first time in their five victories that the Lightning scored fewer than four goals.
Key moment
Vasilevskiy stopped Aliaksei Protas on a breakaway from the red line 2:28 into the first period to keep the game scoreless.
Key stats
The Capitals were 0-for-2 on the power play, dropping them to 2-for-23 this season. They have gone five games without scoring with the extra Florida man.
Up next
The Capitals host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. The Lightning host Nashville on Monday night.
