The Washington Capitals ended their three-game homestand with a whimper. They couldn’t get much going against the Dallas Stars as they fell 4-1 on Wednesday night.
The Capitals were coming off a huge 7-4 win over Anaheim on Monday. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to carry over any of that momentum against Dallas.
Dallas had been on a six-game losing skid (0-6-6) but managed to find their groove again. They previously beat the Capitals 1-0 on Oct. 28 as they usually prove to be a tough opponent.
The Capitals couldn’t generate many scoring chances and committed turnovers that led to goals for Dallas.
The only Capitals goal came towards the end when Alex Ovechkin scored on a 6-on-5, but it wasn’t enough.
Next up, the Capitals hit the road for their next two games, starting with a rematch against Chicago on Friday night.
Capitals Analysis
The Capitals got off to a bad start, and it didn’t stop there. They couldn’t keep up with Dallas throughout the evening.
The Capitals got on the power play early, but Dallas’ Radek Faksa received the puck and skated towards the net. He attempted a shot, then beat two defenders and scored off a rebound for a shorthanded goal.
Dallas led 1-0 in the middle frame, as Brandon Duhaime tried to give the Capitals some spark by fighting Ilya Lyubushkin. However, it didn’t amount to much.
Early in the middle frame, both teams were in a 4-on-4 when the Capitals committed an error. John Carlson tried lifting Sam Steel’s stick in front of the net, but Steel was able to tip the puck in to make it 2-0.
The Capitals’ miscues continued when a bad pass from Anthony Beauvillier led to Wyatt Johnston firing one past Logan Thompson. That tally gave Dallas a commanding 3-0 lead in the third.
After generating just 11 shots through the first two periods, Spencer Carbery once again tweaked the lines to see what would work.
The Capitals did show some life with over two minutes left as Ovechkin fired a one-timer from his office to end the shutout. The Great 8 now has 18 goals this season and 915 in his career.
However, the rally attempt was cut short when Roope Hintz sealed it with an empty-netter.
By the end, the Capitals committed 24 turnovers and were outshot 36-24 by Dallas. Perhaps the team will get it together once Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas both return.
Capitals Report Card
Team: D
The Capitals just couldn’t get much going against Dallas, who is always a tough opponent. They couldn’t generate chances and committed multiple turnovers.
Capitals Special Teams: C+
The Capitals had two power play opportunities but didn’t convert on either one, as they gave up a shorthanded goal. The team did manage to kill off two penalties though.
Alex Ovechkin: B
Ovechkin continues to show some spark at 40 years old, as he fired a one-timer on a 6-on-5 to end the shutout. The Great 8 now has three goals in his last two games.
Logan Thompson: B-
Thompson once again did his best to make some key saves. The future Team Canada Olympian stopped 32 of 35 shots on Wednesday.
