John Carlson picked up a pair of assists to hit 11 this postseason, leading all defencemen in the category, while helping the Washington Capitals to a 6-2 victory in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning Sunday night.
Carlson picked up a crucial assist on a momentum-shifting goal that helped Washington tie the game in the opening three minutes of the second period. The blueliner played the puck off the boards to help create an odd-man rush for Devante Smith-Pelly to score off a fantastic pass from Alex Chiasson.
Carlson (3-11–14) also set a franchise single-playoff record for a Caps defenceman by tallying his 14th point of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the mark trails only Dustin Byfuglien (5-10–15) of the Winnipeg Jets for points among defencemen this postseason.
Being up 2-0 in his first Eastern Conference Final isn't the only reason Carlson finds himself celebrating these days. Just last week, Carlson and his wife, Gina, welcomed their second son – who the couple named Rudy.
With a pair of games in hand, the Capitals head home to Washington for puck drop this Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena.