A coaching change always brings a new philosophy. But without a training camp to adjust, the Capitals are learning on the fly under new coach Dale Hunter and new assistant coach Jim Johnson, a former NHL defenseman. The 1-2-2 system Washington employs now emphasizes forcing turnovers and counterattacking when the opportunity presents itself. And while the Caps long ago turned away from the offense-first strategy used by former coach Bruce Boudreau when he first took over in 2007, this is also a different look from the system that helped Washington turn around its season last December. The Caps finished the year fourth in goals allowed a game (2.33). That wasn’t the case when Hunter took over last week.
So far, so good. Despite a 1-2 record, Hunter’s club has given up six goals in three games. If a play isn’t there, Washington wants to chip the puck down the wall and out of the zone. When it does get it in the offensive zone, goals will come off a heavy cycle — not typically off odd-man rushes unless the opponent makes a mistake. But in those cases the Caps will attack with speed as they did when Alex Ovechkin found teammate Troy Brouwer with a pretty pass in the third period of Saturday’s win over Ottawa.
“Me and the guys who have been here a couple years, you’re drilled a certain way for a long time,” forward Mike Knuble said. “You’re talking about changing a lot of habits in a couple days. We practice, and we’re not robots. It takes a couple times to get the feel of what you’re supposed to be doing and what everybody’s supposed to be doing on the ice.”
– Brian McNally
