Washington Capitals
During the Washington Capitals’ run to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2018, defenseman Michal Kempny played a key part after being acquired in a trade mid-season. However the nearly four years since that Stanley Cup run have been trying for the blueliner and in Thursday night’s contest against the Philadelphia Flyers, Kempny notched his first goal in over two years.
With just over a minute left in the first period of the Capitals’ game against the Flyers, Kempny scored his first goal of the 2021-22 season on assists from Nic Dowd and Garnet Hathaway.
Kempny scored this goal from the parking lot and we head into the intermission up one-zip!! pic.twitter.com/beKFJZMYmG
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) February 18, 2022
The goal marked Kempny’s first goal since October 25, 2019. In that time period, a hamstring injury, Achilles tendon tear, and a setback during a rehabilitation stint with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears pushed back Kempny’s return to the Capitals’ lineup. Kempny’s goal gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead, marking their league-leading 35th time scoring first.
The Capitals have scored the game’s first goal a League-leading 35 times this season. The Capitals hold a record of 21-9-4 when they score the first goal.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) February 18, 2022
In eight games this season, Kempny has one goal, and one assist with one period left to play in the Caps’ tilt against Philly at the time of writing.
got caught czechin’ https://t.co/1acJGZKDAY pic.twitter.com/u5MNb7iBXj
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 17, 2022
By Michael Fleetwood
Good job Kemps. It’s been awhile since he played and was ok. Two penalties were the ugly part.
Those two penalties were killers. Not on the scoreboard, but for a guy who is trying to work his way back into the regular lineup. I see him still as a 7th or 8th defenseman, at best.