"At this point in the season, everyone has to find their motivation somewhere. Whether it's taking pride in your organization and winning games or whatever you need to do to get up for the game, it's our job," the 29-year-old winger said.

WASHINGTON -- Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson knows that there's not much on the line with three games to go in the regulation season. There are no playoffs to fight for, nor will any additional points in the standings change things up. So without a lot of outside motivation, the 29-year-old is making his own as he refuses to throw in the towel.

Wilson, who missed the first part of the season while recovering from offseason ACL surgery, has been all over the place over these final games and continues to impress. Not only has he contributed at both ends of the ice, but Wilson has also taken on leadership role and has stuck up for his teammates while being the physical presence the club needs.

"I mean, at this point in the season, everyone has to find their motivation somewhere," Wilson told The Hockey News. "Whether it's taking pride in your organization and winning games, or whatever you need to do to get up for the game, it's our job to do. I think that's the expectation, and we haven't been doing a good enough job of that."

Washington is in the throes of a six-game losing streak and is five days removed from being eliminated from playoff contention. In the Capitals' first game after not qualifying for the playoffs, a questionable effort resulted in a 6-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Then, 48 hours later at home against the Florida Panthers, Wilson helped lead a strong overall showing with a multi-point outing, four hits, four blocks, three penalty kills and a few scrums that inspired his team to put up a fight.

"There's a pride in putting on the jersey every night, playing in the NHL, playing for an organization like this. The motivation should be there to go out there and try and win on home ice on Saturday night," Wilson said matter-of-factly.

And even though the final result didn't go Washington's way, the Capitals had some life and enthusiasm on the bench and in the dressing room thanks to No. 43, who was rightfully wearing an "A" with Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie among those out with injury..

"He's a great guy to have on your team and not a very fun guy to play against... he turns momentum for us in tons of ways on the ice," linemate Dylan Strome, who has also emphasized the need to keep showing up and is riding a three-game goal streak, said, adding, "That's a good hockey player."

"I think that's just Tom's DNA and his nature. He plays the game hard; he plays physical," head coach Peter Laviolette added. "We count on him for a lot of different things: penalty kill and power play and physicality and toughness and offense... The more he's played, the more natural and comfortable he seems getting away from the injury he had at the beginning of the year."

For Wilson, though, it's all just part of the gig.

"Just trying to put my head down and work," he said.