from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic,

About as surprising as finding the Washington Capitals in playoff position in late March is the goalie who’s led them here.

Undrafted Charlie Lindgren is having a career year eight seasons into a pro career that’s seen him mostly in AHL rinks — his persistence and patience finally leading to a breakout at age 30.

“I just feel ready for the moment,” Lindgren told The Athletic during a recent interview.

“Last year was his first full year in the NHL,” said Caps goalie coach Scott Murray. “He also had some minutes with St. Louis and Montreal, but I think last year being in Washington the full year, he came back this year with a mindset that whatever challenges came his way, he was going to stare them in the face. That’s probably the biggest consistency from him, is that he’s embraced challenges whatever they are.”

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