Caps Host Isles
Caps conclude short homestand on Monday, hosting Islanders and looking to play spoiler in Metro Division matchup
The Caps conclude a two-game homestand on Monday night when the New York Islanders come to the District to close out the season's series between the two Metro Division rivals. Monday's game is also the front end of a set of back-to-back games for the Capitals, who will travel up to Boston immediately afterwards to face the Bruins on Tuesday night.
Washington is seeking to end a six-game winless streak (0-5-1), matching its longest victory drought of the season. The Caps suffered through a six-game losing streak from Feb. 12-23. The Caps enter Monday's game with just one win in their last nine games (1-7-2), and with a 6-16-3 mark since Feb. 12. Their most recent victory was a 6-1 trouncing of the Chicago Blackhawks here in D.C. on March 23.
In the front end of the homestand on Saturday night, the Caps suffered a painful 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers when the Cats' Matthew Tkachuk struck for a tie-breaking tally with exactly one minute remaining in regulation, snapping a 2-2 deadlock. Missing captain Alex Ovechkin - who sat out Saturday's game with an upper body injury - the Caps fell to 0-7-0 in the seven games he has missed this season.
"We're just not happy with how the last few games have gone," said Caps' defenseman John Carlson following the loss to Florida. "A lot of self-inflicted wounds and not as crisp or executing like we know we should. There's no perfect game with execution, but I thought we moved the puck around a lot better and we got the puck up the ice pretty well for most of the game, but trying to win with two goals in this League is difficult."
Indeed it is, and that's been one of the overarching story lines for the Capitals throughout the season. Saturday's loss dropped the Caps to 3-29-5 in games in which they've scored two or fewer goals this season. Last season, the Caps were 6-19-4 when scoring two or fewer goals, and they were 8-9-1 in such games in the 56-game season of 2020-21.
The sheer number (37) of games in which they've scored two or fewer games is a major part of the problem, and it is almost certainly a reflection of the relentless onslaught of injuries that has plagued the Caps for the entire season. Washington hasn't been able to dress a full complement of 18 skaters for each of the last two games because it is simultaneously pressing up against the salary cap ceiling and running low on healthy bodies.
Including Ovechkin, six players missed Saturday's game with injuries, running the Caps' season total of man-games lost up to 420, its highest total in nearly a quarter century and significantly higher than last season's total of 288.
Among several bright spots in an otherwise dismal season for the Caps has been center Dylan Strome, who signed a one-year deal with the Caps as a free agent last summer. By the All-Star break, Strome and the Capitals were happy enough to agree on a five-year contract extension that will keep him in the District through the 2027-28 season.
In Washington's last 19 games, Strome has piled up 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists), and he leads the team in scoring over that span. One of only seven Caps - all of whom are forwards - to play in each of those 19 games, Strome's average of 16:33 in nightly ice time over that span is third among Washington centers over that stretch, trailing both Evgeny Kuznetsov (17:56) and Nicklas Backstrom (16:40). But Strome has outscored Kuznetsov and Backstrom combined over those 19 games. Kuznetsov and Backstrom each have 10 points over that stretch, with three goals for the former and four for the latter.
Strome has scored the game's first goal in each of the last two games, and he is tied for 21st in the League in scoring since Feb. 25.
On the season, Strome has 61 points (21 goals, 40 assists), posting the 68th season of 20-plus goals and 40-plus assists in Washington's franchise history, and the first by someone not named Ovechkin, Backstrom or Kuznetsov since Alexander Semin turned the trick in 2009-10. Each of the previous 20 instances of the 20/40 feat in the District was achieved by a Washington-drafted and developed player; prior to Strome, the last import to pull off a 20/40 season was Robert Lang in 2003-04.
As they arrive in town for Monday's game against the Capitals, the Islanders occupy the eighth and final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference standings, the second wild card berth. With 90 points, the Isles are tied with Florida - occupant of the first wild card slot - and one point ahead of Pittsburgh, which hopes to dislodge either the Isles or the Panthers. All three teams have two games remaining on their schedule.
After Monday's game in Washington, New York returns home to host Montreal in its regular season finale on Wednesday. The Islanders come to town in full control of their own destiny. If they win each of their remaining two games in any fashion, they'll fend off the Penguins, and they could hop past the Panthers if Florida takes a misstep in either of its final two games.
