The Washington Capitals continue to search for offense heading into their matchup against the visiting Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.
The Capitals have scored three goals or fewer in 14 of their past 16 games (6-7-3) and have won just three times in regulation in that span.
Washington was held to a single goal Sunday in a 2-1 loss to the host New York Rangers, a night after the Capitals beat the Rangers 3-2 in Washington D.C.
“We’re doing everything we can to find different ways to score,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “I can’t fault the process. We have to continue to work because it’s not easy to win games in the National Hockey League scoring one goal a game.”
Making things more difficult, Washington forward Alex Ovechkin has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury and it’s unclear if he’ll return against Anaheim.
Ovechkin has scored just eight goals through the halfway point of the season after scoring 42 last season, but the 38-year-old still leads the Capitals with 27 points and remains a viable force when on the ice.
T.J. Oshie is also looking to pick up the pace after missing four weeks with a lower-body injury. He has scored in two of the three games since his return, but his four goals this season are also well off the pace he set last season, when he scored 19 goals.
“Obviously, the pucks aren’t going in, so we’re working hard to try to get those chances,” Capitals forward Dylan Strome said. “When we have the momentum and we can’t get power plays, it’s obviously frustrating.”
The Ducks are coming off a 5-4 overtime win at the Florida Panthers on Monday afternoon.
Anaheim trailed 2-0 until Alex Killorn scored with four seconds left in the first period.
The Ducks again rallied back from a 4-2 deficit in the second period to force overtime and Killorn scored the game-winner for his first multi-goal game with the Ducks.
The game also marked the return of rookie center Leo Carlsson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft who had missed the previous 10 games with a knee injury.
Adam Henrique scored short-handed and set up Killorn’s first goal.
“He’s been awesome,” Killorn said of Henrique. “There’s a reason he’s been in this league as long as he has and he continues to be an effective player.”
Jakob Silfverberg also scored for the Ducks to move into a tie with Steve Rucchin for sixth place on Anaheim’s all-time goals list (153).
“I’m just happy to get one, it’s been a while,” Silfverberg said. “A big goal for me and a big goal for the team.”
Ducks coach Greg Cronin shook up his forward lines to start the third period, dropping Mason McTavish down to the third line and moving Brock McGinn up to the second line.
The Ducks hosted the Capitals on Nov. 30 and Tom Wilson recorded his first NHL hat trick for Washington in a 5-4 victory.
John Gibson started in goal for Anaheim in that loss, but the Ducks likely will start Lukas Dostal in the rematch after Gibson made 29 saves in the win against Florida.
–Field Level Media