Sometimes it changes by the night. Other times it’s by the period. One day, the Capitals resemble a talented young team, complete with hotshot scorers and elite goaltender.
The next, they’re a young team enduring growing pains.
So they’ll drop a game by four goals to defending Stanley Cup Champion Carolina one night, then beat them by four the next as happened this past weekend.
A five-game losing streak precedes three wins in four games, which gives way to five losses in seven games.
They are consistent with their inconsistency, offering glimpses into the future while showing signs of a sometimes tough reality. Youth isn’t the only culprit; injuries are as well.
So they’re forced to not only use young players, but to play them in key situations.
“We’ve had spurts where we’ve played unbelievable,” center Brian Sutherby said.
Because of it, the Capitals remain among the many chasing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And if they want to stay in the race, they’ll have to have some success on their three-game road trip that begins tonight.
The Capitals play their next three games at Ottawa (tonight), Florida (Thursday) and Pittsburgh (Saturday). They have 17 road games remaining and 15 at home.
“This trip is very important for us,” left winger Alex Ovechkin said. “We have big games and we have to win them. They’re hard games, but we must win.”
The Capitals are 12th in the Eastern Conference with 49 points, five out of eighth place and the final playoffs spot. But they’re only one point ahead of Boston and Florida.
“I said two months ago that this will go right down to April,” goalie Olie Kolzig said. “We dug ourselves a hole the last few weeks … But we don’t have to look at it as being a daunting task.”
But they know it’s a tough one.
“We’re learning and growing as a team and sometimes you go through ups and downs,” Sutherby said. “It’s a long season. … Hopefully we can get on a roll here.”
