The Capitals have lost the last six games. What's going wrong?
WASHINGTON — For one reason or another, the Washington Capitals just aren't clicking right now — and it comes at the worst possible time.
With the regular season winding down and every point counting toward a final playoff push, the Capitals have fumbled completely, going 0-4-2 and managing just two points of a possible 12 over this last stretch as their losing streak hits six games.
But what exactly is going wrong?
"I just think we're not in sync," John Carlson put it simply.
That's an understatement. Since March 28, Washington has struggled to connect, and has been outscored 25-10. The Capitals haven't scored more than two goals per game since managing a 4-3 overtime win over the Detroit Red Wings on March 26.
"There's a fine line between trying to create offense and doing risky plays or whatever it might be. Obviously, we've got to manage the puck a little better. At this level, if you don't manage it, other teams will make you pay. The foundation of hockey is putting pucks deep and working and tiring the other team, and I feel like sometimes, even myself, I think everyone just tries to maybe overcomplicate it a little bit," Hendrix Lapierre admitted. "But when you think about it, it's a pretty simple game and you've just got to bring it every time. Obviously, there's instincts that kick in, you think you have a little bit of time, you try to make a play. It's a quick game. Sometimes it won't work... We can be better with our puck management."
Lapierre, who has points in five of his last seven games and is one of the only players helping to feed the offense of late, added that he's not sure what the exact issue is.
"I think our attitude's good, we're there for each other; we know what we have to accomplish. It's just not maybe working as much as we'd like to right now. We're working hard," Lapierre said. "We've just got to maybe focus on a couple details just getting pucks to the net, getting people there. I know it's really cliché, but we've got to score more than two to help (Charlie Lindgren)."
Lindgren, meanwhile, is feeling the effects of an excessive workload, as he's become Washington's starter down this pivotal stretch. All the while, he's not getting much help from the offense or the defense in front of him, with turnovers, miscues and bad reads resulting in goals against at crucial times.
"We're just a little bit off on a lot of certain plays, whether they're big plays or small plays, and couple that with untimely breakdowns, that's a recipe for disaster," Carlson lamented.
While there's still belief in Spencer Carbery's underdog group that the mix of veterans and young guns can get the job done and return to the playoffs, the team has also been navigating key absences, with T.J. Oshie out again, Tom Wilson returning from a six-game suspension and Rasmus Sandin now potentially done for the year after being hurt in Sunday's loss to the Ottawa Senators
Taking that and a lack of consistency into account, and the Capitals find themselves struggling to get back to the identity that had rocketed them back into playoff position just a week ago.
“It's hard. You have to compete full 60 minutes, be on the same page together, especially when it’s like a couple games left in the season," Aliaksei Protas said. "It’s tough but we have to stick together in it, you know? We’re in tough situation right now and think only way to get out from there is to be together, stay together, support each other and we’ll find a way."
For Carlson, the solution comes down to simplifying and supporting one another, and just getting back to that standard that the team set not too long ago.
"We just need to play better," he offered bluntly. I don't think we're firing on all cylinders like we were there for a little bit. Too many turnovers, too many mistakes that we shouldn't be making and giving teams more life than they deserve or need."
Washington has five games left on the regular season circuit, starting with a critical game against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday that could put the Capitals back in a playoff spot with the race still down to just one point.
"I think this group still believes, which is the most fun thing. Everyone's there for each other. The attitude, the mindset's good, we just haven't been able to find a way. We've got to be there for each other," Lapierre said. "If a teammate makes a bad or a good play, you've got to be there for them and they'll be there for you. It's all right, we'll learn from it and we'll be ready to go."