Capitals Looking to Rebound in St. Paul
The Washington Capitals, after a disappointing 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night, are gearing up to face the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday evening in St. Paul. The Capitals, who have been shut out five times this season—a figure not seen since the 2018-19 campaign—are seeking to find their offensive spark as they've struggled to light the lamp, scoring one or fewer goals in 16 of their 44 games.
Washington's performance against the Blues was particularly lackluster, managing only 18 shots on goal throughout the entire game and experiencing periods where they failed to register a single shot. Despite these struggles, it is noteworthy that the Capitals had previously contained the Blues to just 12 shots on net at 5-on-5 play during an earlier matchup.
Practice and Preparation
Following an off day in Minneapolis on Sunday, the Capitals hit the ice for practice on Monday with determination to refine their game ahead of the clash with the Wild. With the team considered underdogs in the upcoming game, head coach Spencer Carbery emphasized the need for improvement.
"We're going to get to work," Carbery stated, acknowledging the shortcomings in the recent outing against St. Louis. "There’s a lot of things that we failed to do in that St. Louis game that we need to do a way better job of offensively," he added. Carbery pointed out that the team has addressed these issues and talked about them, expressing hope that the adjustments will be evident in their next performance: "And so we addressed those, we talked about them, and hopefully we’ll implement those and see those come to life."
Team Dynamics and Player Performances
Despite the Capitals' offensive woes, some individual performances have shone through. Alexander Ovechkin and Dylan Strome both lead the team with 28 points each, while John Carlson trails closely behind with a contribution of 26 points this season. Between the pipes, Darcy Kuemper has appeared in 23 games, posting a save percentage of .895.
On the other side, the Minnesota Wild boast strong numbers from their top players. Kirill Kaprizov leads the team with an impressive 42 points, followed by Joel Eriksson Ek with 36 points and Mats Zuccarello adding 35 points to the tally. In goal, Filip Gustavsson has recorded a .896 save percentage, providing stability for the Wild.
Injury Report
The Capitals are dealing with several injuries that could impact their lineup. Rasmus Sandin and Nicklas Bäckström are sidelined with injuries, while Sonny Milano is contending with an upper-body injury. The Wild also have their share of injury concerns. Jared Spurgeon's season has come to an end due to hip and back issues, and Sam Hentges is out with an undisclosed injury. Additionally, Frederick Gaudreau and Marc-Andre Fleury are listed as day-to-day with upper-body injuries, and both Connor Dewar and Vinni Lettieri are recovering from lower-body injuries.
Looking Ahead
As the Capitals prepare to take on the Wild, the focus is clear: reignite the offense and translate practice efforts into tangible results on the ice. With the team facing adversity, the response to this challenge will be crucial in determining the direction of their season. It's an opportunity for Washington to demonstrate resilience and for players like Ovechkin, Strome, and Carlson to step up and lead by example.
The stage is set for an intriguing matchup in St. Paul, and all eyes will be on the Capitals to see if they can overcome their status as underdogs and secure a much-needed victory against a formidable Wild team. As Coach Carbery aptly put it, the Capitals have identified their areas for improvement; now it's time to put those plans into action and show that they can bounce back stronger.