The Capitals' play has taken a nosedive, and it couldn't come at a worse time.
John Carlson was blunt and put it best following a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Thursday: there is no more breathing room for the Washington Capitals.
After seemingly figuring things out, Washington's play has taken a significant step back, resulting in a six-game losing streak that has leaked over into the second half following the All-Star Break.
That decline couldn't have come at a worse time for D.C., who sits seven points out of a playoff spot with less than two months left to play in the regular season.
"Everything's difficult," Carlson told reporters on Thursday in Florida. "It's been a difficult stretch, though. We got no margin for error, and that's just the games we play right now."
When it comes to what's gone wrong, there's not one specific answer. The offense, despite the recent resurgence of captain Alex Ovechkin, is still struggling to score multiple goals per game. There's a lack of finish or second chances, and the team pointed out that more times than not, chances will be one or done before the opposition reclaims possession.
Defensively, Washington is turning over pucks and making poor decisions, and the team is also having a difficult time clearing the zone, leading to sustained pressure. To make things more difficult, every mistake is costly at this point, as the bounces just aren't going the Capitals' way, either.
And on Thursday, the story was failing to stay disciplined against a highly dangerous Florida team, as Washington took six costly penalties. And though the penalty kill had strong four consecutive kills, the fifth one led to a game-tying goal that turned the momentum.
"That's the straw that breaks the camel's back there on the last one," head coach Carbery pointed out.
Overall, the Capitals just aren't on the same page, and it's costing them points at a crucial point in time.
So what's the fix?
For D.C., it's a matter of playing for one another, which is also vital as the team likely heads in a direction to sell going into the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline.
"We need to come together, obviously," Anthony Mantha stressed. "That's the only way we're going to get out of it. There's enough talent in here and attitude and compete level to step back. We know what's ahead, and we can do it."