It is only October and already the roller coaster ride that is the 82-game NHL season has begun for the Capitals.
A 3-0 start with two wins on the road quickly gave way to back-to-back losses over the weekend, including an ugly 53-shot performance against Buffalo in a 7-3 loss. They aim to get back on track with the start of a four-game homestand beginning tonight at Verizon Center against the New York Islanders.
“A winning streak is great, but a losing streak is something that can really tear a team apart,” said team captain Chris Clark. “You’re going to lose games throughout the year. But you want to limit those streaks because they can build momentum. It eats at you and you start getting down on yourself, down on your team. It’s something we have to stop right away.”
The common theme for the Caps (3-2) in the two losses was opponents’ shots on goal, a combined 94 in losses to the Sabres and New York Rangers last weekend. Those numbers dredged up bad memories. The Caps allowed 33.3 shots on goal per game last year, second most in the league. Against the Islanders (3-3) they will also need to generate more shots than the 12 taken during a 2-1 win at New York on Oct. 8, a franchise-record low in a win.
