ARLINGTON, Va. -- Goaltending is well down the list of the areas where the Washington Capitals need to improve against New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference First Round.
Still, Charlie Lindgren believes he needs to do more with the Capitals trailing 2-0 in the best-of-7 series heading into Game 3 at Capital One Arena on Friday (7 p.m. ET; MAX, MNMT, truTV, TNT, MSG, SN360, TVAS).
"Obviously, I've got to cut down," Lindgren said Thursday. "I can't be letting in four goals. I know that, so I'm doing everything in my power to make sure that I can put the team in a good spot."
Lindgren allowed four goals in each of the first two games for a total of eight on 59 shots. That includes four goals on 28 shots in a 4-3 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday.
Lindgren knows he is working with a small margin for error. Washington was 28th in the NHL during the regular season with 2.63 goals per game but managed three against New York goalie Igor Shesterkin in Game 2.
He feels that should've been enough.
"I think when we score three goals, we should win a hockey game, so I take a lot of ownership," Lindgren said. "I'm going to do everything I can do."
Coach Spencer Carbery agrees with Lindgren that the Capitals need to win when they score three goals -- they were 29-5-4 when they had at least three during the regular season -- but he isn't faulting Lindgren for losing Game 2.
"I don't worry about 'Chucky,'" Carbery said. "I worry about what we need to do to help him out. Is it a recipe for success for us to give up four, the Washington Capitals? Absolutely not. … I know it's not good if we're giving up four or even three goals, so we have to do a better job in front of him."
The Capitals can do that by managing the puck better to cut down on their turnovers, cleaning up their special teams -- they scored two power-play goals but also allowed two and a short-handed goal in Game 2 -- and playing with more discipline to limit the opportunities they give to the Rangers' lethal power play.
Washington also needs more from Alex Ovechkin, who had no points and was credited with only one shot on goal in the first two games, among others.
Though Ovechkin acknowledged he felt "not good" about his play in the first two games against the Rangers, Lindgren said he's felt comfortable in his first Stanley Cup Playoffs experience despite playing against his younger brother, Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren.
"I've had no nerves at all the whole series," he said. "I think I've been seeing the puck really well. I think Game 1 there was a couple odd bounces and even last game a couple bad bounces, too. Honestly, I feel really good."
Lindgren has played at a high level most of this season, supplanting Darcy Kuemper as the Capitals' No. 1 goalie and establishing NHL career-highs in games (50), wins (25-16-7) and shutouts (tied for League-high with six) with a 2.67 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. The 30-year-old carried Washington during its push to qualify for the playoffs, starting 19 of its final 22 regular-season games and going 12-6-2 with a 2.39 GAA, .919 save percentage and three shutouts.
So, Lindgren's 4.12 GAA and .864 save percentage in the first two games against the Rangers look poor by comparison, but they don't tell the whole story. He has stopped nine of the 12 high-danger shots he faced, according to NHL EDGE, and has faced a League-high 23 mid-range shots, saving 19 of them.
Two of the goals Rangers' goals Tuesday came on the power play, including one from Mika Zibanejad that deflected off Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev, and another was short-handed after a turnover by Ovechkin.
"Chuck has been phenomenal," Capitals forward Beck Malenstyn said. "We're never going to look at him for an answer that way. There's little things within that game that we can fix. … Guys are always going to be willing to sacrifice in front of him, too. Chuck really battles for us. You can see it in all of these games. He's never out of a play, and it's playoff time."
After a day off Wednesday, Lindgren was back at work in practice Thursday, looking for anything he can improve to help the Capitals win Game 3.
"When I'm stopping a lot of pucks in practice, that's going to give me the confidence to go stop a lot of pucks in the game," he said. "I think that's where a lot of it starts from. Obviously, there's a lot of self-belief, and then I've got a lot of people in my corner. I've got unbelievable teammates here that have been pushing me all year long and making me a better goalie. I got a great wife, great family that keeps me motivated and keeps me going."
