The Capitals Are Struggling in This Area

Strome didn't sound worried after Sunday's overtime loss in Detroit, saying the Caps «have scored lots of goals» this year and that dry spells hit every team. He also pointed at how often Washington controls play, even when pucks refuse to fall.

The timing is easy to understand, because the last four games have been a roller coaster. Tuesday brought a 5-0 loss in Minnesota, then Thursday flipped the script with a 4-0 shutout win over Toronto.

The weekend dragged the mood back down with a 5-2 loss to Detroit on Saturday, then a 3-2 overtime defeat Sunday despite a much better push. Ethen Frank scored both goals in that rematch, with Strome picking up assists.

Big picture, the numbers say Washington isn't a team that can't score. The Capitals have 110 goals through 34 games and they're sitting on 43 points, even while the last few nights have looked tight and grindy.

As a fan watching this stretch, it feels less like «no offense» and more like «no bounces,» which is a maddening difference. The Caps have enough shooters, they just need more pucks through legs and onto the paint.

That's why Spencer Carbery's line blender matters, because it's really about creating one more clean look from the slot at five-on-five. Sunday's tweaks moved Strome between Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson, and it reshaped Alex Ovechkin's support, too.

Ovechkin, the 2004 first overall pick, is 40 now and still has 14 goals and 31 points, which is honestly wild. Wilson has 17 goals, Jakob Chychrun has 14 as a defenseman, and John Carlson is still driving play with 27 points.

The tactical fix is simple to say and hard to live, cleaner entries, faster shot decisions, and more bodies screening so the first save isn't the end. Tuesday against the New York Rangers is the next checkpoint, and it's a perfect night to turn «process» into goals.