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Capitals Power Rankings Roundup: Week 11

Outlet This Week Last Week What They’re Saying
B/R logo 2 2 Big picture

After playing poorly in a 4-1 loss at Florida Thursday, the Caps rebounded to get a nice win Saturday in Tampa Bay. Braden Holtby looked great, making 34 saves. Evgeny Kuznetsov continues to have a great year, leading the team with 28 points in 28 games, with a plus-15.

Holtby’s 1.90 GAA is the best in the league. He is probably your leader in the clubhouse at the moment for the Vezina Trophy, especially with Carey Price out for an extended time.

By the numbers

At 27.5, the Caps are the third-stingiest team in the league in terms of shots on net allowed per game. In coach Barry Trotz’s first year behind the bench in Washington last season, the average finished at 28.9.

Let’s face it, Trotz is one of the best coaches in modern history when it comes to getting his team to play in a sound defensive structure. Many doubted whether he could get a team like Washington to play like this, but it has happened. (December 13)

CBS Sports logo 2 3 As the Rangers falter, the Caps have surged into the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. They’re 9-1-1 in their last 11 games and it’s been extremely rare to see this team play a truly poor game throughout the season. (December 15)
CSNMA Logo 4 3 The Caps are 8-0 this season following a loss. They may not be dominating the way they were at the start of the season, but they’re still piling up the points. (December 14)
1 1 Goaltending. Goaltending. Goaltending. Braden Holtby has led the Caps to an 8-1-1 record in the past 10 games. He also extended his points streak to a career-high 11 games (10-0-1). (December 14)
1 1 Outside of one stinker against the Florida Panthers, the Capitals continue to hum along with wins. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. What’s one bit of bad news in Washington? Brooks Orpik may be out of the lineup for a bit of time with some sort of complicated lower body injury. (December 14)
THN Logo 1 2 Whatever you do, try to jump on the Capitals early. They’re 9-0-0 when they score first and 14-0-1 when leading after the first period…The Stars have given up 16 and 17 shots in the first periods of their past two games. (December 16)
NESN logo 2 2 The Capitals are flying high with eight wins in their last 10 games, including an impressive 4-1 victory over the rival Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night. (December 16)
1 2 Good: Consistency. They haven’t lost two games in a row.

Not so good: Defenseman Brooks Orpik might have had a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury. He is no longer skating with the team after initially progressing to that level. (December 18)

Score logo 2 2 In 24 starts, Braden Holtby is two thirds of the way toward Carey Price’s pre-All Star workload from last season. As you’ll see, he stacks up quite well.

Price

(December 16)

SI Logo 1 1 Braden Holtby is the best goalie in hockey right now. After making a season-high 44 stops in a 4–1 win over the Penguins on Monday night, he’s on an 11-0-1 tear during which he’s posted a 1.75 goals against average and .944 save percentage. As good as they are, there’s no way the Caps find themselves in first place in the East without him. Last week: 3-1-0 (December 15)
Sporting News Logo 1 1 (December 14)
Sportsnet logo 1 2 [Ed. Note: “Star Wars Edition”]

“Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.” – Emperor Palpatine

Prior to puck drop, this writer predicted Washington would win the 2016 Stanley Cup. The Caps have won 10 of their last 12 and have now supplanted Montreal atop the Eastern Conference. (December 17)

2 4 One regulation loss in the last 10 for the Capitals, who continue to stalk the Stars for top spot. By no means is it all his fault, but backup G Philipp Grubauer has been in goal for the last two regulation losses, so the last game that Braden Holtby lost in regulation was a 1-0 loss at Detroit on November 10.

Key Injuries: D Brooks Orpik (lower body). (December 14)

TSS 3 (Last updated December 7)
USAT logo 3 (Last updated December 7)

Click on logos for links to full power rankings.

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