Lindgren makes 38 saves, Capitals end Kings’ 5-game win streak

LOS ANGELES -- Charlie Lindgren made 38 saves for the Washington Capitals in a 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

Lindgren helped Washington hang on in the third period, when it was outshot 15-3. He has won five of his past six starts.

“I thought the guys did a good job in front of me tonight,” Lindgren said. “Felt like I saw a lot of pucks, which is what I need to do. The Kings could be the best team we've seen all year. For us to come in here in a tough building and get the two points was a big one.”

Connor McMichael and Anthony Mantha each had a goal and an assist, and Aliaksei Protas had two assists for the Capitals (11-6-2), who lost their previous two games. They visit the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.

“This is a big deal,” Mantha said. “The Kings are really good. They're well-balanced, and we found a way.”

Arthur Kaliyev scored for the Kings (13-4-3), who had won five in a row and had the last 11 shots on goal in the game. Cam Talbot made 13 saves.

It was their second regulation loss in the past 15 games (11-2-2).

“I didn’t think we were a disaster,” Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said. “I don’t think we played poorly. But early in the game, we gave up two goals based on details. And when you don’t score four or five in a night and you’re going to have those nights, those details become important.”

Anze Kopitar thought he had tied it 2-2 for the Kings at 11:10 of the third, but Capitals coach Spencer Carbery successfully challenged that Kopitar had entered the zone offside.

“Some games you’ll play not as good and score five, so it happens,” Los Angeles center Phillip Danault said. “It’s not that we didn’t try; we definitely tried hard and we didn’t play bad. Yeah, [it] happens sometimes.”

Kaliyev gave the Kings a 1-0 lead at 9:04 of the first period, knocking in a loose puck from just outside the crease after Andreas Englund’s shot went wide and caromed back off the boards.

Mantha tied it 1-1 at 12:12, scoring into an open net after Talbot came out to cut off the angle for McMichael’s pass during a 2-on-1 rush.

“Best line by far, not even close,” Carberry said of Mantha, McMichael and Protas. “They carried us offensively.”

McMichael scored at 18:31 of the second period, batting in an airborne puck from close range on the rebound of a Mantha shot for the 2-1 final.

“I noticed we win a lot of puck battles, and I think it showed on my goal,” McMichael said. “We were all over them winning second chance pucks and using our big frames, myself included, to take it to the net.”

It was the first time this season Los Angeles had been held to one goal; it had scored at least four goals in each of its previous four games. 

“Well, I don’t think that the L.A. Kings can count on scoring four to five goals every night for 82 games,” McLellan said. “I just don’t think that’s going to happen. That’s not realistic; it never has happened. So, there’s going to be nights when you have to win 1-0 or 2-1, and we were on the backside of that tonight.”

NOTES: It was the Capitals’ seventh comeback win this season; only the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils have more (each has eight). … Washington forward Alex Ovechkin was held off the score sheet and remains three points shy of 1,500 in his NHL career. … Protas had at least two points for the third time in his past nine games. … The Kings lost in regulation for the first time when scoring first (11-1-1). … Kaliyev has a three-game point streak (two goals, one assist).