This Road Trip's Been 'A Kick In The Teeth' For The Capitals. Now, They Need Answers: 'If We're Not Desperate After This, I Don't Know What To Say'

The Washington Capitals had hoped that some extra time in Seattle would be the opportunity to recharge that they'd been hoping for.

Instead, it was, as Tom Wilson put it, a "kick in the teeth," a 5-1 stomping at the hands of the Kraken.

"This is a big wake-up call coming in here and getting our asses handed to us," Wilson said after the defeat.

The Capitals were outshot 32-20 and outplayed over the course of 60 minutes, and if two goals hadn't been waved off due to high-sticking review and goaltender interference, the final score would've been much bleaker.

"We were outplayed and just extremely, extremely disappointed," coach Spencer Carbery said Tuesday. "I just thought we got beat in every area."

Washington has won just one game on what was deemed a vital six-game road swing ahead of the Olympic break, and is 3-6-1 over the last 10 games. The Capitals have not won back-to-back games since the start of December.

"Our guys have had a bunch of wake-up calls over the last couple of weeks, meetings and understand the significance of where we're at," Carbery explained. "When you get outplayed like we did, it's not a good feeling."

In turn, the playoff picture's gotten bleaker; D.C. sits eight points out of Wild Card position, and though the team sits just four points out of a tie for third in the Metropolitan Division, the New York Islanders have games in hand and are coming off a convincing win.

"We just have to keep fighting and keep battling," captain Alex Ovechkin said.

What will go into turning things around, though?

Looking at the numbers since Dec. 4, the last time the Capitals had won two in a row, offense has dropped off significantly, especially at 5-on-5. Entries have been an issue, along with sustained pressure and urgency in the offensive zone. Inconsistency on the power play hasn't helped, either.

"I don't think we have nearly enough of those o-zone shifts that last more than one chance," John Carlson noted.

All the while, the defensive side of the game has suffered, with Washington giving up the fifth-most goals in the league over that time-span.

That said, Wilson hopes the Seattle game is one that'll spark more urgency and change throughout the team, which closes out its road trip on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings.

"It's the biggest game of the year, so if we're not desperate after this one, then I don't know what to say," Wilson said. "Our group understands what's going on here... we've got to be better, and we will be better."