Madison Bowey hasn’t been around Washington long enough to have experienced that familiar Capitals’ feeling of owning the regular season.
Instead, the rookie defenseman is part of a Capitals team still searching for an identity.
Almost a month into the season, the Capitals sit at 5-6-1 — two games below .500. It’s new territory for a franchise that’s won the Presidents’ Trophy in back-to-back years.
After the first 12 games, the Capitals were 8-3-1 in 2016 and 9-3 in 2015.
The difference this season likely comes down to several 2017 realities: a slew of new faces, a rash of injuries and a less talented roster.
But the Capitals are closer to finding an identity, Bowey said, after a three-game road trip in Western Canada. Washington went 1-2, but they beat a talented Edmonton Oilers team and showed signs of coming together.
“The last two years have been a pretty offensive powerhouse and an offensive juggernaut team that could outscore teams every night,” Bowey said. “Obviously, we still have that skill. The scoring is just waiting to open up.”
This season, the Capitals are 18th in the league with 2.92 goals per game. Last year, they were third with 3.18 goals per game and second the year before that with 3.02 goals per game.
The slight scoring drop-off can be attributed to various reasons, but lately, the Capitals have been constantly chasing games — meaning opponents score and Washington has had to erase deficits. The Capitals have allowed the first goal in their last seven games.
Barry Trotz said his team tends to force things when they’re trailing, rather being patient.
“Chasing the game is you’re one mistake or one power play goal away from being down a couple pucks,” the Capitals coach said. “Mentally, it’s draining because you have no comfort. There’s never any comfort there. You always have to be on.”
Trotz said the Capitals made “good progress” in Canada in figuring out the formula for success. He said the Capitals’ 5-2 win over the Oilers on Saturday left the group with a better feeling. They followed the game plan of being a more physical team, when available.
On the surface, the Capitals’ identity is simple — be balanced.
“Find your game within our game and have our philosophies in place and our protocols in place, and execute them consistently,” Trotz said. “That’s been the biggest thing: we haven’t executed them consistently.”
Trotz said teams aren’t defending the Capitals differently, but added his team hasn’t been able to control the matchups as well. For instance, last year’s fourth line could play consistently against the other team’s top lines because “they could grind them out,” Trotz said.
“It was hard for other teams to get the right people,” he said. “We haven’t really got to that point yet.”
The Capitals have also had to adjust for injuries. One of the healthiest teams in the league last season, Washington has four players injured — three of whom were expected to play significant roles.
Forward Andre Burakovsky had thumb surgery on Oct. 24 and is out 6-8 weeks. Defenseman Matt Niskanen, who is skating individually but not practicing, is eligible to return Nov. 7 from an upper body, but Trotz said doctors need to “take a few more pictures” first before knowing he can play. Forwards Brett Connolly and Tyler Graovac are both out with upper body injuries, and don’t have a timetable for a return.
The absences have forced Trotz to tinker with his lineups, such as putting Devante Smith Pelly with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin and Jakub Vrana on the team’s first line. Vrana has played on the first, second and third line this season.
“Wherever I play and whoever I play with, I just try to play systematically to help the team,” said Vrana, who has three goals.
The Capitals return to Capital One Arena on Thursday against the New York Islanders, and Washington has three of its next five games at home.
But the Capitals are 1-3 at home this season, another uncharacteristic trait.
Trotz said they need to do a better job of converting scoring chances.
“We’re right there,” Trotz said. “We just have to go on a little bit of a run. When I say run, it’s not winning six in a row or anything like that. We’ve just got to be consistent in collecting points of every night. That’s what we’ve done very well in the last three years, and we have to get that mentality of collecting a point.”
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