Capitals praise Logan Thompson after 34-save win over Blue Jackets: ‘We needed LT every shot they had’
The Capitals scored a flurry of goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, but the team’s most valuable player was arguably on the other end of the ice. Goaltender
For a Capitals roster that struggled in the first forty minutes before an offensive deluge in the third period, Thompson’s support stopped what could have been a one-sided game in the other direction.
“I think we just stole two points,” head coach Spencer Carbery said after the win. “Logan was fantastic, especially to keep us in it in the first, whatever it was, 40 minutes of the game. Thought we were very fortunate to be leading 1-0 after two. And then that second goal was a big moment off the faceoff. So we’ll take it, but certainly going to need to be a lot better tomorrow night.”
Despite the lopsided final score, Columbus looked like the better team for much of the first half of the game. The Blue Jackets outshot the Capitals 30-20, out-chanced them 30-25, and had nearly double as many high-danger chances as Washington (15-8) at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. Across all situations, Thompson stopped 3.48 goals above expected.
The second period was particularly dismal for the Caps in terms of offensive chances: though John Carlson scored to put Washington up 1-0, his goal was one of just two shots the team had all period. Meanwhile, Thompson stopped all 10 Blue Jackets shots he saw in the middle frame.
“We needed LT every shot they had, and I thought he was great,” said Dylan Strome.
Friday’s high-traffic game was a sharp contrast from Thompson’s recent starts, where he’d faced under 30 shots in his prior three contests (at least, according to the NHL’s official shot counters). Thompson told reporters postgame that he’d expected as much after facing Columbus in two exhibition games this season.
“Those games are fun,” he said. “They have a lot of skill. Like you saw earlier in preseason, they shoot a lot of pucks. So I think from a goalie standpoint, those are easy games to get up for, knowing you’re going to see a lot of rubber. And I know they had a decent amount of shots tonight, but I thought the guys in front of me did a good job letting me see everything tonight.”
Denton Mateychuk scored Columbus’ lone goal of the evening midway through the third period, ruining Thompson’s shutout bid. The Blue Jackets later thought they’d narrowed their deficit to one with a goal from Dmitri Voronkov before officials ruled that he had kicked the puck into the net.
Besides crediting his teammates, Thompson also noted that a rebound-heavy game like Friday’s could have easily gone the other way, pointing to both Capitals goaltending coach Scott Murray and good luck for their help against the Blue Jackets.
“Sometimes that game can go ugly for a goalie, and today the pucks were hitting me.” he said. “I was just working at practice with Scotty Murray and just trying to stay sharp when called upon. And like I said, today good things happened and could have gone the other way. So I’m very fortunate for tonight’s win.”
Justin Sourdif credited Thompson’s ability to deal with screens as a particular asset in Friday’s showing.
“I think when you’re having two or three guys in front of you, it’s pretty hard to stop a puck when you can’t see it, and he just does such a great job of fighting through traffic,” he said. “We’re like, ‘How did he see that?’ And he’s just able to get low and see those shots coming through screens. He also is just really sound, too, with the puck. It helped us out a lot tonight.”
Thompson even made a contribution to Washington’s offense on Friday, earning his first assist of the season on Sourdif’s breakaway goal in the third. The play started in Washington’s own end when Thompson made a heads-up pass to Ryan Leonard for a zone exit. Leonard then sent the puck to Sourdif, who was all alone to beat goaltender Jet Greaves.
“I just wanted to throw up the middle, mix it up,” Thompson said of the pass. “I was using the walls a lot and yeah, it got it through and I got a point out of it. So I won’t do that too often, but I’m happy it worked tonight.”
With the win on Friday, Thompson improves to a record of 5-1-0 on the season. He will likely play next when the Capitals face the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
Saints fire back after Baker Mayfield’s trash talk ahead of Buccaneers matchup
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints are once again at the center of an NFC South feud that never seems to cool off.
Ahead of their Week 8 matchup, the tension is rising as both teams prepare for another heated chapter in this rivalry. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield didn’t hold back when talking about the Saints earlier this week.
"It has not exactly been clean play from their part when we play them. It is a physical game; it is what it is," Mayfield said Wednesday. "You expect it [from a] division rival... Yeah, not much else to say besides for the fact that I do not like them."
As expected, the Saints weren’t going to let those comments slide, with veteran linebacker Demario Davis responding on Thursday.
Demario Davis responds to Baker Mayfield's comments about playing the #Saints
and shares thoughts on trash talk:
"I don't have the context of what he said ... but the game is played between the white lines."
Added, "You can trash talk with your game, too, but I'm for all the…pic.twitter.com/4A9w2ZYmkv — NOF (@nofnetwork) October 23, 2025
When asked about Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield’s recent comments, Saints linebacker Demario Davis didn’t back down.
“I don't have the context of what he said ... but the game is played between the white lines,” Davis said. “You can trash talk with your game, too, but I'm for all the smoke ... the pregame talk ain't where it's at.”
Davis’ confident response sent a message to Mayfield that the Saints aren’t focused on words, but rather on letting their play speak when it matters most.
The history between these two teams adds to the anticipation. Over the years, their rivalry has featured intense physical battles and plenty of bad blood.
Oct 20, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) reacts against the Detroit Lions during the first half at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The Buccaneers enter Week 8 still dealing with significant injuries. Running back Bucky Irving and wide receiver Chris Godwin (fibula) have both been ruled out, forcing Baker Mayfield and the offense to find production elsewhere. Tampa Bay’s loss to Detroit in Week 7 exposed some of its offensive struggles, and now the challenge only grows with a hungry Saints defense coming to town.
Mayfield’s competitive fire has always fueled him, but he’ll need to back up his words against one of the league’s tougher units. The Saints, led by Davis, thrive on getting under their opponent’s skin. This is something that Tampa's defense models as well.
With emotions high and the rivalry hotter than ever, Sunday’s matchup isn’t just another game — it’s a chance for Tampa Bay to make a statement and remind the NFC South who still holds the upper hand.
