Capitals’ van Riemsdyk Hits 700 Games in Milestone Match Against Lightning

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Trevor van Riemsdyk celebrated a personal milestone in the Capitals’ 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, playing in his 700th NHL game. The game marked a poignant moment for the undrafted defenseman, who has now joined a rare group as one of just five active undrafted players to reach this milestone.

Van Riemsdyk has come a long way since signing as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014. He made his NHL debut shortly thereafter, contributing to the Hawks’ Stanley Cup victory that season. Over his career, he has played for multiple teams and has solidified his role in Washington since joining the Capitals in 2020.

“It obviously means a lot,” van Riemsdyk said. “You don’t get to this point without playing on some really good teams with great teammates, and I have a lot of people to thank along the way.”

As the Caps faced off against the Lightning, the team was looking to build off a recent string of success, having won three games in a row prior to this match. Unfortunately, the night took a quick turn for the Capitals when Brandon Hagel scored a shorthanded goal less than two minutes after Washington took an early lead. The Lightning capitalized on the momentum, scoring four times in the first period, including two goals from Hagel.

Despite the defeat, the Capitals’ fourth line of Sonny Milano, Ethen Frank, and Hendrix Lapierre looked promising, demonstrating solid chemistry on the ice. They managed to control 72 percent of shot attempts during their limited ice time, leading to scoring chances for the Capitals.

“We were confident it would turn at some point, and our guys feel good that we can score four or five goals,” coach Spencer Carbery said postgame. “It makes all the difference and brings confidence back to our play.”

While center Nic Dowd missed the game with an upper-body injury, the return of van Riemsdyk to the ice provided a notable spotlight amid the challenging matchup against the Lightning.

As for the game itself, after a tumultuous first period, Washington continued to battle, eventually narrowing the score with a goal from Jakob Chychrun and another from Ethen Frank. However, the Caps could not overcome the deficit with their power play faltering, ending the night 0-for-6.

Going forward, the Capitals will look to regroup as they face a challenging schedule ahead, starting with their next opponent.