The topic of the day at Kettler Iceplex on Monday was the Caps’ inability to win on the road. Why bring it up now? Well, they finish a four-game homestand against the New York Islanders on Tuesday and then immediately head to Montreal after the game. Won’t get to catch them for a few days. Plus, there’s a sense among the players that while they’re happy with the recent stretch of wins they’ve put together, it won’t mean a whole lot unless they can sustain it. I put together a story for our print edition and had some leftover quotes. Jeff Halpern, quoted in the print story, had a few things to add.
“I know we haven’t done well [on the road]. I don’t know what the exact numbers are,” Halpern said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been on a team where we’re that good at home and so far from it on the road. There’s not an intimidation factor. I think there was in years past where you went into buildings and it was scary going into Philly or something like that. For whatever reason it’s gone on all year and it’s something that you try to address or you think you can address. But until you get results….”
Recommended Stories
He trailed off. But until you get the results all of this is just a mighty wind. Should help that the Caps get Montreal and Carolina later this week before going into Pittsburgh. But the Canadiens game is a second of a back-to-back and Carolina played better than Washington did on Sunday at Verizon Center. Hard to argue otherwise. So even with a victory over the Islanders – no given considering the last meeting at Nassau Coliseum – they need to find a way to grab points away home. With that in mind, I got together with Washington Times beat writer Steve Whyno and put together a few lists – the home points percentage, road points percentage and points differential for all 30 NHL teams. Obviously, Washington ranks high on one – 3rd at home – and low on the other – 26th on the road. Only Detroit has a greater differential than the Caps’ .386 percentage.
“Aside from how guys feel on the ice and whether they have that energy or that excitement, just to play more aggressive,” Halpern said when asked what could be done different. “Whether it’s on our forecheck up ice or if our “D” are joining the rush or pinching down the walls, a lot of times when we get down by a goal we start playing more aggressive. On the road it turns a little bit as far as that excitement level. But I don’t know. I just think coming out and every man on the team saying that they’re going to kind of be harder on the forecheck or be a little more quicker up ice and try to create that excitement on our own.”
Home
1. DET .880
2. STL .820
3. WAS .761
4. NYR .737
5. CHI .731
6. BOS .688
7. CAL .667
8. SJ .652
9. VAN .650
10. NASH .646
11. MIN .643
12. FLA .636
13. TOR .636
14. WIN .630
15. DAL .614
16. PHI .611
17. NJ .605
18. TB .605
19. OTT .604
20. PIT .600
21. EDM .595
22. LA .558
23. COLO .542
24. BUF .540
25. PHX .525
26. CAR .500
27. MON .500
28. NYI .479
29. ANA .457
30. COL .386
Road
1. BOS .722
2. PHI .680
3. NYR .667
4. SJ .658
5. VAN .635
6. LA .600
7. NASH .595
8. OTT .587
9. NJ .580
10. CHI .550
11. PIT .542
12. PHX .538
13. FLA .523
14. COLOR .522
15. DAL .500
16. MIN .500
17. TOR .477
18. STL .475
19. DET .458
20. MON .432
21. WIN .409
22. BUF .400
23. NYI .395
24. ANA .381
25. CAL .380
26. WAS .375
27. CAR .318
28. TB .300
29. EDM .283
30. COL .273
Differential
1. DET .422
2. WAS .386
3. STL .345
4. EDM .312
5. TB .305
6. CAL .287
7. WIN .221
8. CAR .182
9. CHI .181
10. TOR .159
11. MIN .143
12. BUF .140
13. DAL .114
14. FLA .113
15. NYI .084
16. ANA .076
17. NYR .070
18. MON .068
19. PIT .058
20. NASH .051
21. NJ .025
22. COLO .020
23. OTT .017
24. VAN .015
25. COL .113
26. SJ -.006
27. PHX -.013
28. BOS -.034
29. LA -.042
30. PHI -.069
Follow me on Twitter @bmcnally14
