Going down the stretch, the Washington Capitals are still finding ways to get the job done, but they know there are key areas that still need fixing. None looms larger right now, it seems, than the power play.
Washington's man advantage has taken a significant step back of late, failing to convert over the last nine games and going 0-for-16 over that span. And ultimately, the lack of success there has proven costly in games where a goal or two would go a long way.
Coach Spencer Carbery pointed to Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets, a showdown with implications of what could be a potential Stanley Cup Final matchup that saw the Capitals go 0-for-2.
"Power plays are a great example in that game. What do we get, two right? Come playoff time you might get one or two, and every puck touch on that power play is going to be important and it's going to be significant," Carbery said. It could be the difference in the game, could be the difference in a series. That's how you have to approach those in those types of games."
But what exactly isn't working on the man advantage?
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First, the entries are off. Washington is failing to get into the zone cleanly, leading to turnovers or immediate clears and retreats back into the defensive zone. Then, there's a lack of tape-to-tape passing and execution that is leading to failed opportunities, missed chances and a lack of set plays.
"We're a little bit sloppy with some of those touches. We turn it over five or six times on the power play, that might be all you get (in the playoffs)," Carbery added.
For Dylan Strome, the struggles on the power play could also be attributed to the routine ebbs and flows teams go through in a season.
"I think that the chances have gone down. Power plays are a big part of the game, and a big part of getting the ball rolling," Strome said.
He also believes this recent lull could be a silver lining, but noted that the breakouts and entries have to get cleaned up.
"Maybe it's nice to go through this little lull right now and find a way to pick it back up coming down the stretch here... sometimes you do all the right things and the shots don't go in," Strome said, adding, "I feel like we've had decent chances to set up and stuff, and just pucks haven't been going in right now."
The Capitals will get their chance at redemption on Thursday when they take on the Minnesota Wild.