WASHINGTON — The Capitals activated one participant off Injured Reserve on Friday and changed him with one other, inserting defenseman John Carlson again into the lineup however including fellow blue liner Dmitry Orlov to the lengthy record of gamers to hit the shelf for Washington this season.
One month into the 12 months, the Capitals (7-7-2) have positioned 5 gamers on IR to affix the 4 that have been already on there when the season started. They’ve needed to pull gamers up from their AHL affiliate Hershey and go exterior the group for depth, signing winger Sonny Milano out of free company and claiming winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The workforce’s play has mirrored the loss in expertise at instances, most notably final week when it went on a four-game winless streak. However with Carlson’s return got here a spark that injected the Capitals with sufficient vitality to attain all around the Tampa Bay Lightning in a decisive 5-1 victory Friday.
“You kinda underestimate a man like [Carlson] coming again into our lineup,” assistant coach Kevin McCarthy, standing in for Peter Laviolette while he’s in COVID protocol. “Right here’s a man that performed 26 minutes tonight. We have been attempting to handle his minutes however guys like that, they produce offense and so they simply give all people else confidence. That was in all probability one of many causes that, I assumed, as a bunch there on the again finish, we did a variety of good issues.”
Regardless of all of the accidents they’ve endured, the Capitals stay proper within the thick of the Jap Convention. Simply 5 factors separate 12 of the 16 groups within the East, placing the Capitals firmly within the combine with their season about 20% of the best way by way of. Even their four-game winless streak noticed the Capitals decide up two factors in video games with the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights — two groups off to sturdy begins to the marketing campaign.
There have been dangerous losses, like the 3-2 defeat to the lowly Arizona Coyotes on Saturday through which Washington blew a 2-0 lead with seven minutes to play. However whereas it’s straightforward to hit the panic button when their depleted roster isn’t producing sufficient offense, all of the Capitals actually need to do is keep inside shouting distance of a playoff spot till a few of their injured stars work their means again.
As they confirmed Friday, they’ll nonetheless compete with a number of the finest groups within the NHL even on this state.
“Actually, I believe we might beat anyone any night time,” Carlson mentioned. “That’s all that issues. We’re simply right here to win video games and transfer on. I believe it doesn’t matter who we’re taking part in, if we play the sport like how we need to and the way we’re able to, we’ll win a variety of video games. Doesn’t matter what number of guys are out, what number of guys are in, who it’s and who we’re taking part in and I believe that’s what you see.”
However whereas the Capitals have held on for the primary 4 weeks, their schedule doesn’t get simpler from right here and it’ll nonetheless be at the least one other month earlier than any of their injured skaters, except for Orlov, shall be able to return.
They’ll wrap up their home-and-home collection with the Lightning on Sunday earlier than ripping off a stretch of six video games in 12 days with video games towards the Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils. That Devils recreation will then kick off a six-game highway journey that takes them into early December.
Washington nonetheless has playoff aspirations, and groups can do lots worse with their midseason additions than Tom Wilson, T.J. Oshie and, doubtlessly, Nicklas Backstrom. There’s loads of work to do earlier than the Capitals will begin to seem like a professional playoff contender, however they’re not digging a gap too deep to climb out of proper now.
