Our weekly temperature-taking of the mainstream media’s opinions on the Washington Capitals:
| Outlet | This Week | Last Week | What They’re Saying |
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4 | 3 |
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4 | 3 | A much-improved PK this season — the Caps are in the top 10 in that department after being in the bottom five last season. |
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4 | 2 | The NHL has found Washington’s Kryptonite: the Atlanta Thrashers. The Thrash are 3-1-1 against the Caps this season, and Alex Ovechkin has one goal in his last 10 games. |
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4 | 4 | Five of the Caps’ first 28 games have been against Southeast Division foe Atlanta, but they’re 1-3-1 in those games. |
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5 | 2 | Speaking of catching fire, the Caps would like to see captain Alex Ovechkin do some kindling work of his own. He scored in a losing effort against Atlanta on home ice Saturday, but it was his first goal in 10 games. The Caps have won just four of nine. (Burnside) |
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4 | 2 | While the Caps come into Week 10 with the second-most goals scored in the league, the team couldn’t find the back of the opposition’s net in its two losses. Washington only tallied two goals on 84 shots in their two Week 9 defeats. |
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3 | 2 | Caps have winnable games against Toronto and Florida before a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back vs. Avalanche, Rangers |
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4 | 2 | Bad enough to lose to Toronto, but Capitals also lost defenseman Jeff Schultz to a fractured thumb. |
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– | 3 | Pending |
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– | 1 | Pending |
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2 | 1 | Alexander Ovechkin puts a halt to his career-worst scoring drought with his first goal in 10 games. |
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3 | 2 | Shades of last year’s postseason? The Caps have lost two in a row, managing two goals on 84 shots against the Stars and Thrashers. |
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4 | 2 | Ovechkin snaps 9-game goalless drought. |
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– | 1 | Biweekly ranking. Will be updated next week. |
Click on logos for links to full power rankings.
