Week 10 for the Washington Capitals is noteworthy for two reasons. First, it is a heavy work week with four games on the slate, all against teams from New York, concluding with a back-to-back set against the New York Rangers to end the week. Second, the Caps will pass the half-way mark on the schedule with this week’s games.
The Opponents
Buffalo Sabres (Monday/7:00pm)
The Buffalo Sabres, who after ten games this season were a .500 team in January (4-4-2) and entertaining visions of playoff contention, had their dream interrupted by COVID with their schedule suspended, going dark for more than two weeks before resuming play on February 15th. Since then, the Sabres have the worst record in the league (2-12-2) and find themselves looking to next year.
Injuries and poor performance have combined to put the Sabres in a deep hole, a ten-game losing streak (0-8-2) leaving them in last place in the East Division, 16 points behind the Boston Bruins for the last playoff spot going into the new week.
Jack Eichel leads the list of critical absences, out of the lineup since March 7th and “for the foreseeable future” according to head coach Ralph Krueger, although the injury is not now thought to be season-ending. His is not the only injury to a critical element in the Sabres’ lineup. Defenseman Zemgus Girgensons has been out all season with a hamstring injury, and Dylan Cozens has been out since taking a hard hit to the boards in a 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 11th.
COVID, poor play, and injuries have left the Sabres with one of, if not the worst statistical profiles in the league: 31st in standings points (16), 31st in points percentage (.308), 30th in scoring offense (2.15 goals per game), 27th in scoring defense (3.31 goals allowed per game), 28th in shots on goal per game (28.0), third-highest total losses by three or more goals (nine, tied with Nashville), 30th in points percentage on home ice (.231/2-9-2). While their special teams have been good – fifth in power play (27.1 percent) and 14th in penalty killing (79.7 percent) – they have not been enough to stop the sliding.
New York Islanders (Tuesday/7:00pm)
The New York Islanders are the last team in the league without a loss in regulation on home ice (12-0-2). Unfortunately for the Islanders, they will be the visitor in their meeting with the Caps this week. And on the road, the Islanders look less formidable, carrying a 6-6-2 record when playing off of Long Island. But even here, the Islanders are getting better. After going 1-4-2 in their first seven road games this season, the are 6-2-0 in their last eight games on the road.
The change in fortune on the road has been a product of stingier defense. In those first seven road games, the Isles allowed 23 goals (3.30 per game), while in their last eight games they allowed only 13 goals (1.63 per game) and have two shutouts. The recent success on the road is an example of taking advantage of considerably lesser teams. New York is 6-0-0 against the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, and New Jersey Devils over that span, but they lost both games they played against the Pittsburgh Penguins over that stretch.
Part of the Islanders’ success has been continuity. While they have had 23 skaters dress for the team so far this season, 11 of them have appeared in every game, and four more have appeared in at least 27 games. What will hurt, though, is that one of those other players who have appeared in at least 27 games is Anders Lee, who was place on long-term injured reserve, retroactive to March 11th, after he was involved in a collision with New Jersey Devil forward Pavel Zacha in the Islanders’ 5-3 win over the Devils last Thursday. Lee is tied for the team lead in goal scoring for the Islanders going into the new week (12, with Brock Nelson). While the offense will be missed, the Islanders are a team that succeeds with suffocating defense and goaltending, their 2.17 goals allowed per game being the league’s best as the new week begins.
New York Rangers (Friday and Saturday/7:00pm)
The New York Rangers are a hard team to figure out. Not surprising given the state of their rebuild. It is a team that has already suffered three losing streaks of at least three games though 26 games played. In an example of their inconsistency, it is a team that can score, posting four or more goals eight times in those 26 games, including twice in two tries against the Caps – a 4-2 win in Washington on February 4th and a 4-1 win in New York on February 20th. On the other hand, the Rangers have two or fewer goals in 12 of 26 games (not including shootout goals) and have been shutout four times. That inconsistency has left the Rangers 20th in the league in scoring offense overall (2.73 goals per game).
The defense has had the same sort of inconsistency. On the good side, the allowed two or fewer goals 12 times, including two shutouts. On the bad side, they have allowed four or more goals nine times (not including shootouts).
New York has had difficulties finishing games strong, at least on offense. Their 22 goals scored in the third periods of games is tied for third-fewest in the league. However, their third period scoring defense has been quite good, allowing only 19 goals in the final frame of games this season, also tied for third-fewest in the league. What they have not done well, though, is win one-goal games with any regularity. Their 3-5-3 record in one-goal games ranks 28th in winning percentage in the league (.273).
Your bizarre fact about the Rangers. They have been involved in six shutouts this season, all of them against Boston (1-2-0) and the New York Islanders (1-2-0).
Hot Caps:
Cold Caps:
Weird Facts:
Potential Milestones to Reach This Week:
Nicklas Backstrom:
Alex Ovechkin:
Evgeny Kuznetsov:
John Carlson:
Richard Panik:
Brenden Dillon: