The Washington Capitals hope a trip across the border can help them end a slump as they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
The Capitals have lost four of their past six games and are 5-8-2 in 2022. They exited the All-Star break with a frustrating 5-4 loss to the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
After losing leads of 2-0 and 3-2, the Capitals rallied from a 4-3 deficit in late in the third period, but Columbus scored in the final minute for the win.
“We just have to find a way to play consistent 60-minute games,” Washington defenseman Nick Jensen said. “We have to learn to win games 1-0, 2-1, stuff like that. It can’t be 4-4, run-and-gun style games. That’s not winning hockey in the long run in my opinion.”
Special teams and goaltending have been an issue for Washington of late. Goalie Vitek Vanecek remains on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Pheonix Copley, who was strong in relief of Ilya Samsonov in a loss on Feb. 2, started against the Blue Jackets but was pulled early in the third period after allowing four goals on 19 shots.
Columbus converted two of three power-play opportunities and scored two seconds after its unsuccessful chance ended. The Capitals have killed only three of nine penalties over their past three games and are 2-for-9 on the power play.
“Everyone’s a little fatigued over playing a lot of games. But it’s real important to get together as a group and really play for each other,” Nicklas Backstrom said. “The only one that’s going to turn this around is us players. We’ve just got to keep grinding and come together as a team and find our identity.”
Alex Ovechkin returned after missing one game while in the COVID-19 protocol and had an assist, snapping a four-game pointless streak. However, he won’t be in Montreal because Quebec requires a 10-day isolation period for those who test positive for COVID-19.
The Canadiens’ woeful stretch of hockey continued Tuesday with a 7-1 loss to a New Jersey Devils team that came in having lost seven straight (0-5-2).
Montreal has lost seven in a row and 13 of 14 (1-9-4) and has allowed five or more goals in five straight games. The Canadiens have two wins in their past 25 games (2-18-5) and have not won two in a row all season.
On Wednesday, the team fired head coach Dominique Ducharme. He led the team to the Stanley Cup Final last season but went 23-46-14 in the regular season since taking over the role in February 2021.
“You would think after the break that you’d be refreshed and ready to go, but you guys witnessed it out there,” Josh Anderson told reporters after Tuesday’s game but before Ducharme’s dismissal was announced. “I feel embarrassed, to be honest with you, so we better be ready to go next game.”
Brett Kulak scored for Montreal and Cayden Primeau made 27 saves as his record fell to 1-6-1 with a 4.62 goals-against-average and .874 save percentage. With Jake Allen out and Sam Montembeault day-to-day, the 22-year-old Primeau is bearing the brunt of Montreal’s poor play in front of him.
“I’m sure it’s not easy for a young goalie playing right now behind us,” defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “But, at the same time, young players on this team right now are getting a chance to prove themselves and show what they can do in tough circumstances. To become an everyday NHL player, you kind of have to go through the fire a little bit and have some tough times.”
–Field Level Media
