Halfway through a four-game homestand at Verizon Center the Capitals have little to show so far.
The losing streak is now four after dropping games to the New York Islanders, 5-2, and Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1. But while positive results are missing, the overall level of play was higher than back-to-back road losses to the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres the previous weekend. Now the Caps (3-4, six points) just need a win, starting tonight at 7 p.m. against Southeast Division rival Tampa Bay (4-2, eight points).
“That’s the best six periods we’ve played, the Islanders game and the [Pittsburgh] game,” said Caps coach Glen Hanlon. “The first five periods of the season were good [in wins over Atlanta and Carolina]. But from start to finish that was it.”
The Caps out-shot both the Islanders (29-21) and the Penguins (31-22). They generated six power plays against New York, were more physical than Pittsburgh (24 hits to 13) and held their own on faceoffs (48-of-100). But the Caps didn’t convert enough even-strength chances and were a woeful 0-for-9 on the power play.
In response, Hanlon juggled his line combinations. Forward Chris Clark rejoins the top line, where he scored 30 goals last season, with Alex Ovechkin and Viktor Kozlov. Brooks Laich likely takes the open right wing spot on the third line with Matt Pettinger and Boyd Gordon.
Rink Notes
» Forward Joe Motzko was re-assigned to AHL affiliate Hershey on Tuesday while forward Alexander Semin (38 goals last season) is expected to be moved off injured reserve today. Semin has missed six of the first seven games with a sprained ankle
