Capitals rally in 3rd, overcome gaffe by Lindgren to top Lightning

TAMPA -- Tom Wilson broke a tie with 3:26 remaining for the Washington Capitals, who overcame an own goal by goalie Charlie Lindgren by rallying for a 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Wednesday.

Wilson gave the Capitals a 5-4 lead at 16:34 of the third with Anthony Cirelli serving a double-minor for a high stick. He held netfront position and redirected a shot from Jakob Chychrun.

“There was a little bit of everything in that game,” Wilson said. “When stuff happens and there’s ups and downs, you find a lot out about your team and your teammates. I couldn’t be more proud of the group and proud of our goalie and just everybody stepping up. A pretty gutsy, gutsy effort tonight.”

Brayden Point gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 lead at 7:25 and completed a hat trick on the error by Lindgren. After the Lightning cleared the zone, Lindgren came out of net to play the puck behind the boards, but instead shot it into his own net.

John Carlson then tied it 4-4 at 10:30 on a wrist shot from the right circle that beat Andrei Vasilevskiy to the far post.

Lindgren said it was the worst mistake he’s ever made in a game but credited his teammates for picking him up.

“I felt like we didn’t have any panic,” Lindgren said. “We could’ve been frustrated and kind of packed it in, mailed it in…I knew there was no chance. This team is too good, too good of guys here in the locker room. We found a way to get it done. It was a pretty sweet victory, I'm not going to lie.”

Wilson, Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (15-6-1), who have won five of seven and six straight on the road. Lindgren made 25 saves.

“It seems like we’re more comfortable on the road right now in any situation,” Carlson said. “I think, besides this game, our starts have been pretty good. We’re scoring a lot on the road. All the guys are just feeling it right now.”

Point scored his fifth NHL hat trick, and Michael Eyssimont also scored for the Lightning (11-8-2), who have lost three of four. Vasilevskiy made 27 saves.

“Mistakes happen in a game,” Point said of the own goal. “He kind of threw it in there, but he made some great saves down the stretch.”

Point gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead at 3:58 of the first period, scoring off the backhand from the low slot and finishing top shelf.

Point extended it to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 12:27, a wrist shot from the left circle off a cross-ice pass from Nikita Kucherov.

Andrew Mangiapane cut it to 2-1 at 10:31 of the second period when he redirected a one-timer from Lars Eller in front.

Protas tied it 2-2 at 12:29 with a short-handed goal, taking a pass from Wilson and beating Vasilevskiy short side.

“I thought tonight both teams probably deserved points,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “Scoring chances were even, Grade-A chances were even…everything was pretty much even. Unfortunately, we gave up a short-handed goal and maybe that’s the difference in the game. I thought it was two pretty good teams that went at it, and you know, unfortunately, one didn’t get points and that was us.”

Eyssimont put Tampa Bay back ahead 3-2 at 19:16 after he won a puck battle behind the net and scored on the backhand.

Strome tied it 3-3 at 1:37 of the third period, finishing on an odd-man rush with a shot from the left circle.

“Hockey is not a straightforward game sometimes,” Lightning captain Victor Hedman said. “There are different ups and downs throughout games and it’s how you weather them. I think most of the season we’ve done a good job, but tonight they pushed back.”

NOTES: Cooper coached in his 900th NHL game, all with the Lightning. He has a record of 536-287-77. … Strome has 12 points (three goals, nine assists) over the past nine games. … Cirelli’s goal streak ended at six games (seven goals).