WASHINGTON — After a red-hot initial return from 4 Nations break, the Washington Capitals have taken a step back, and for the first time this season, find themselves in the middle of a three-game losing streak.
It's unfamiliar territory for these Capitals, and though they still comfortably sits atop the Eastern Conference thanks to success earlier in the season, it's a rut they want to get out of fast.
"It's not ideal, especially with the timing of where we're at in the seasonw wth the teams we're playing against. I would say it's concerning; I wouldn't say that I'm hitting the panic button by any stretch," coach Spencer Carbery said following Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. "We've lost three games against three teams that are gearing up. I'ts not ideal, it doesn't look good on our team going into the trade deadline."
What's exactly going into the team's struggles, though?
First is a lack of execution. After scoring 15 goals in 24 hours in the return from the break, Washington has been struggling to find twine, managing just four goals over the last three outings and being outscored 11-4.
The offense hasn't been finding a lot of chemsitry, either, as there's not much space to work with, and when there is, plays get overcomplicated, pucks get overpassed and passes aren't on the tape.
"It's almost like we're getting too cute, a little too comfortable with the puck, and I think it's fighting us," Connor McMichael noted.
Starts have also been an issue; Washington has given up the first goal in four straight games, and the first period has set the tone for a lack of consistency over 60 minutes.
Tom Wilson said that the team showed a lack of jump in the losses to the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues, but that Saturday's showing against Tampa was a step in the right direction.
"I think Calgary and the last one, St. Louis, there wasn't a lot of jam and I just felt like we had two really good ones and took a bit of a step back. I think we came out tonight working really hard. We were skating, I think we were competing... it was better, there was more life to our game," Wilson said. "I think if we play with that intensity going forward, we should be okay. We just got to start a little bit better."
How Are The Capitals' Regular Scratches Faring Without Playing Time? Dylan McIlrath Offers Insight
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Dylan McIlrath wasn't oblivious to his role when he made the full-time jump up to the NHL this season, knowing that his games with the Washington Capitals would be few and far between as a seventh defenseman.
Despite the circumstances, the locker room isn't panicking, nor is the group discouraged entering the final stretch of the campaign.
"I mean, it's three games, we don't like it but we've had a consistent year. There's gonna be ups and downs, we're not panicking right now," Wilson said. "We love the group in here, we just have to find a way to get back on track."
"It's going to be ups and downs. You know, I don't think we play bad this game. It's just a matter of time, we just have to bounce back right away next game," Alex Ovechkin added. "We just have to respond. I'm pretty sure we're going to differently next game and we're gonna get this done."
That said, the current situation is one that Carbery thinks can be good for the group, in a way, going forward.
"Adversity and going through this might not be a bad thing for our group to find out what we're made of going into this final stretch," he noted, adding, "It's not going to get any easier."