The Washington Capitals are facing familiar challenges as their power play falters at the start of the second consecutive season. After scoring in their first two games, they have gone scoreless in the last four, managing just two goals on 21 attempts.
Head coach Spencer Carbery, along with assistants Kirk Muller and Mitch Love, is working to develop a cohesive unit that has yet to establish its own identity. Love has joined the power play team this year after Muller handled it solo last season.
“Right now, we’re trying to build some chemistry,” Carbery said on Friday. “We’re still figuring out entry strategies, player positioning, and how to best utilize our many left-handed shooters, as well as integrating Dubois into the mix. It’s definitely a work in progress.”
The Buffalo Sabres are the only team in the NHL with fewer power-play goals this season, netting their first and only goal in a 5-3 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.
The Capitals have spent 29 minutes on the power play over their last four games without scoring. Last season, they struggled similarly, going over an hour without a goal at one point.
“We need to generate more and improve our puck possession,” Carbery said. “There are several areas to address, and it won’t happen overnight. We’re still figuring out the identity of this power play and whether we need to adjust personnel or run two separate units. Everything is on the table.”
This season, the Capitals’ top unit includes Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson, Dylan Strome, Tom Wilson, and Pierre-Luc Dubois. The returning players are in familiar roles, with Ovechkin in his usual left circle spot, Carlson at the point, Strome below the faceoff dots, and Wilson in the bumper position.
Ovechkin remains on the second unit after Carbery noted during the preseason that he would continue to deploy him for the full two minutes. Last year, Washington did not score on any power plays without Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leader in power-play goals, on the ice. Ovechkin has yet to score on the power play this season.
While Ovechkin’s presence poses challenges for opposing teams, it also complicates things for the Capitals’ coaches.
“Our power play is unique because of Ovi and how teams adjust to defend against us,” Carbery explained. “It’s not just a matter of plugging players in; the intricacies of a power play mean that if one player is taken away, we have to adapt. This has been a significant challenge since key players like Nick, Osh, and Kuzy are no longer in the lineup.”
However, there is hope. Despite their scoring drought, the Capitals rank 13th in expected power-play goals in the league (3.3) since October 17th.
After a slow start last season, the Capitals’ power play improved significantly, leading the league in conversion rate after the All-Star break with 28.9%. With time and the integration of new players like Dubois, a resurgence could be on the horizon.
Additionally, the Capitals have not relied heavily on their power play this season due to strong offensive performance at even strength. Despite their power-play struggles, the team is averaging 4.33 goals per game, the fourth-best in the league as of Saturday’s games.
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