What Game are the Washington Capitals Playing?

Let’s play a game…”on the one hand, on the other hand.”

On the one hand…the Washington Capitals have the best record in the league.  On the other hand…they are just 11-7-3 in their last 21 games.

On the one hand…they have both the second best scoring offense and the second best scoring defense in the league.  On the other hand… they have been outscored, 52-49, over their last 21 games.

On the one hand…they have the second best power play in the league (22.9 percent).  On the other hand…they are 4-for-28 (14.3 percent) over their last 11 games.

On the one hand…they have the fourth best penalty kill in the league (84.5 percent).  On the other hand…they are 30-for-36 (83.3 percent) over their last 13 games (okay, that’s not so bad).

On the one hand…they have outshot opponents by a 644-579 margin over their last 21 games.  On the other hand…they are shooting just 7.6 percent on those 644 shots on goal.

On the one hand…the Caps have an overall goaltender save percentage this season of .921.  On the other hand…the Caps’ save percentage over their last 21 games is .910.

On the one hand…the Caps are 52.1 percent Corsi-for at 5-on-5 over their last 21 games.  On the other hand…they have been outscored at fives, 35-31.

On the one hand…the Caps are 52-15-6 with Nicklas Backstrom in the lineup.  On the other hand…they are 3-2-1 in games he missed this season.

On the one hand…Braden Holtby won 38 of his first 48 appearances this season.  On the other hand, he has nine wins in his last 16 appearances.

On the one hand…the Caps had six winning streaks of four or more games in their first 58 contests.  On the other hand…only once since then have they won as many as two consecutive games in regulation and have not won more than two consecutive games at any point.

On the one hand…the Caps haven’t really had a meaningful “must-win” or “make a statement” game in weeks.  On the other hand…the game the Caps are playing now is “Jeopardy!”  As in, “the Caps are in jeopardy of letting what has been a special season end before the fun really started.”

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