There are weeks that on paper look challenging, and there are weeks when a fan might think, “three games, six points.” Fans can afford to think that way, and Caps fans might be forgiven if Week 3 looks like it could be a chance for the Caps to make hay while the sun shines, or snow cones while the ice freezes. The three opponents in Week 3 for the Caps – the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Arizona Coyotes – combined for a 66-81-21 record last season, none of them reaching the postseason. But this is the NHL, and one takes teams that are struggling lightly at their peril.
The Opponents
Ottawa Senators (Monday/7:00 – Canadian Tire Centre)
It is hard to say whether the Ottawa Senators are rebuilding or looking for directions to “rebuild.” Since reaching the Eastern Conference finals in 2017, the Senators have not finished higher than sixth in their division in any of four seasons since. Last season, the Senators were ranked in the bottom half of the league in almost every meaningful statistical category – standings points (51/23rd), scoring offense (2.77 goals per game/T-19th), scoring defense (3.38 goals allowed per game/28th), power play (15.5 percent/26th), penalty killing (79.0 percent/20th), net power play (12.6 percent/27th), net penalty kill (83.0 prcent/15th, their one encouraging category), shots per game (29.7/16th), shots allowed per game (32.1/27th), shot attempt percentage at 5-on-5 (48.6 percent/19th).
This season, the Senators have come out the gate sideways, alternating wins and losses until they lost a second consecutive game at the hands of the New York Rangers on Saturday, 3-2, to fall to 2-3-0 on the season. In those five games to date, the Senators’ scoring defense has tightened up, averaging 2.40 goals allowed per game (ninth in the league), but their offense has been inconsistent (2.00 goals per game, tied for 27th). They have yet to allow more than three goals in a game, but on the flip side they have scored as many as three goals only twice. No team has scored fewer goals at 5-on-5 so far than the Senators (five, tied with Dallas). If there is an area the Caps need to beware of, it is the Senator power play, which is 4-for-16 (25.0 percent).
In former Caps’ news, Zach Sanford is 0-1-1, minus-2, in five games.
Detroit Red Wings (Wednesday/7:00 – Capital One Arena)
The Red Wings, once the platinum standard for success, reaching the playoffs for 25 straight years ending in 2015-2016, winning four Stanley Cups and reaching the final on two other occasions, have missed the playoffs for the last five seasons. The last time they had a longer streak of missing the postseason was a seven-season stretch from 1970-1971 through 1976-1977.
The Red Wings came out of the gate fast, going 2-0-1 in their first three games and outscoring opponents, 13-9 (seven of those goals against came in the opener, a 7-6 overtime loss to Tampa Bay). But they stumbled against the Calgary Flames, getting shut out, 3-0, last Thursday and falling to the Montreal Canadiens, 6-1, on Saturday. The Wings bounced back with a 6-3 win over Chicago on Sunday.
Detroit is struggling on special teams, posting a 16.0 percent power play (4-for-25) and a 75.0 percent penalty kill (18-for-24). They also struggle with possession, carrying a 47.3 percent shot attempts-for percentage at 5-on-5, 25th in the league, and have the sixth-worst percentage (45.8 percent) in close situations.
Arizona Coyotes (Friday/7:00 – Capital One Arena)
In 2012, the Coyotes, then the “Phoenix Coyotes,” reached the Western Conference final, where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings. Since then, the Coyotes have fallen on hard times. In nine seasons since then, coming into this season, Phoenix/Arizona had a record of 272-310-84 (in 666 regular season games…draw what conclusions you will from that) and reached the postseason once, losing in the first round in 2020.
The Coyotes are a mess at this early stage of the season, taking an 0-4-1 record into the new week, allowing 24 goals in five games (4.80 goals allowed per game, worst in the league) games and scoring only eight goals of their own (1.60 goals per game, also last in the league). Still worse is the Coyotes’ penalty kill, which sits last in the league (there is a theme here) at 36.4 percent, having allowed seven power play goals in 11 shorthanded situations. At 13.3 percent (27th in the league), the Arizona power play is not much better, their only two goals scored on the man advantage to date having been recorded by Clayton Keller.
The Coyotes have shown almost no life when falling behind in games thus far, entering the new week having lost all three games in which they allowed the first goal while posting an 0-3-0 record when trailing after one period and an 0-4-0 record when trailing after 40 minutes.
In former Caps’ news, Travis Boyd has a goal in three games and is one of only two Coyotes with a plus rating (plus-1). Jay Beagle has yet to register a point and is a minus-5 in five games, but he does have a 61.8 winning percentage on faceoffs. Liam O’Brien is without a point and has seven penalty minutes in two games.
Hot Caps:
Cold Caps:
Weird Facts:
Potential Milestones to Reach This Week (or soon):
Alex Ovechkin
John Carlson
Carl Hagelin
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Anthony Mantha