JAKE GUENTZEL

Lightning Win the Chances Battle, Capitals Saved by Pipe and Lindgren

Brandon Hagel drives Tampa’s attack while Charlie Lindgren and the posts keep Washington within reach.

The story wasn’t the score — it was how often Tampa Bay hammered quality looks off metal and into Charlie Lindgren. The Lightning had the better chances by a wide margin, with expected goals at 5.18 to 2.42 — that’s how much their looks were worth — yet a night of four posts kept it tighter than it felt.

Lindgren did his part, too: 27 saves on 29 shots and a goals saved above expected of 1.42. That, plus the iron, turned a blowout shot profile into a one-goal sweat until late. On the other side, Andrei Vasilevskiy was steady with 19 saves on 20.

Driver of the night: Brandon Hagel. Two assists, six shots, and a post — he was in the middle of Tampa’s best looks. Jake Guentzel and Conor Geekie finished what the pressure created, while the blue line chipped in — Charle‑Edouard D’Astous scored and Emil Lilleberg added an assist. Tampa also owned the dot at 60.9 percent and edged shot attempts 64–61, keeping Washington mostly to one-and-done looks outside of Justin Sourdif’s strike.