Since Hunter took over, shots on goal have dropped For months the Capitals wondered when their shaky goaltending situation would recover and veteran Tomas Vokoun and backup Michal Neuvirth would revert to form.
It finally happened after Christmas, when Vokoun went on a 10-game roll and Neuvirth took advantage of his first start since Dec. 26 with a shutout Wednesday. But the best goaltending in the world won’t mean a thing if Washington can’t figure out a way to generate more shots on goal. The Caps have been shut out this week by two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference — the New York Islanders on Tuesday and the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. That has to change as the team heads into Sunday afternoon’s road game against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
“We’ve got to start getting pucks deep and cycling,” forward Troy Brouwer told reporters after a 3-0 loss in Raleigh, N.C., on Friday. “We’re turning way too many pucks over at the blueline, and when we get down a goal, guys try to take it upon ourselves a little bit more, and that’s when we turn pucks over a little bit more.”
The 2007-08 Atlanta Thrashers averaged the fewest shots on goal (25.8) since the NHL returned from its lockout in 2005-06. In 24 games under new coach Dale Hunter — closing in on a third of an entire season — the Caps are averaging 24.8 shots per game. In eight games played since Jan. 7 without star center Nicklas Backstrom (concussion), they stand at 21.6 shots per game.
Washington (25-19-2) entered play Saturday with 52 standings points. That left them tied for first place in the Southeast Division with the Florida Panthers, who were in Winnipeg to play the resurgent Jets — a team that came into the day just three points behind the front-runners in a tightening race.
Pittsburgh is still without centers Sidney Crosby (concussion) and Jordan Staal. But star defenseman Kris Letang (concussion) returned this week, and forward Evgeni Malkin is on fire with 10 goals and two assists in the Penguins’ last eight games. He leads the NHL in points (55) and is third in goals (25) despite missing seven games to injury.
