After today’s morning skate in Buffalo, Tarik caught up with Bruce Boudreau and noted that the Caps penalty kill (which is still ranked a disappointing 23rd overall) has surrendered just one goal over the last three games. Gabby was quick to give just as much credit to the team’s discipline as he was to the penalty killers, it seemed:
“If you take five or more penalties, usually a team scores at least one,” Boudreau said. “It doesn’t matter how good you’re killing. Plus, it takes so much time from other players playing. If we keep it three penalties or less a game, we’re doing a great job.”True enough – to date, the Caps are 10-2-0 when they are shorthanded three or fewer times in a game, 8-4-3 when they face four or five power plays and 5-5-0 when shorthanded six or more times in a game.
Obviously discipline is always key, but especially so when your penalty kill is struggling.