The Washington Capitals enter the final stretch of the NHL season primed for a playoff push after treading water for most of the season.
A month ago, Washington had been left for dead by many analysts. The struggling Capitals sat in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind the final wild card spot. But since then, after nine wins in March, the team has muscled its way into the Eastern Conference’s final postseason spot.
According players and coaches, an indomitable will to survive and advance kept the team alive.
“The resiliency is amazing to watch,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbury said after a March 26 win over the Detroit Red Wings.
The Capitals are now in the thick of a tight playoff race with the Detroit Red Wings and the Philadelphia Flyers — the three teams are vying for the final two postseason spots.
“You never want to take it for granted what’s at stake. Anything can happen in this league; people can change, ups and downs, streaks of luck, whatever it is,” defenseman John Carlson said. “So you bear down in every game, in every situation and we showed some poise.”
As a first-year coach, Carbury said he and his team came into the year with something to prove. But as the losses piled up, he encouraged his players to take the season one game at a time.
“We were just a very short-term focused group. We’re going to play at a high-level tonight and we’re going to see what tomorrow brings,” Carbury said before Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. “That’s what we’ve taken on as a team … just focused on one game.”
Players noted that they’ve embraced Carbury’s message. In interviews, veterans on the roster point to the opponent in front of the team and avoid speculation about the standings.
“We’re just really mission-focused right now instead of destination-focused,” goaltender Charlie Lindgren said after Saturday’s loss to the Boston Bruins. “We’re worrying about the product that we’re putting on the ice. The other teams, they have to worry about themselves. We’re going to worry about ourselves in here.”
Last season, the Capitals disappointed and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. After a lackluster start to the year, Washington’s players say they’re starting to enjoy themselves again.
“The playoff push is fun. Playoff hockey is fun. Especially when you’re winning, too,” center Mike Sgarbossa said. “As a unit, you can see us growing as a team each game. It’s taking a little bit of time but basically since the trade deadline, we’ve been on the right track.”
The Capitals opened April with nine regular season games remaining before a potential playoff run. Entering the month, ESPN’s metrics gave the Capitals a 76% chance to make the postseason. Washington has put the early-season struggles in the rear-view mirror. The team that could have turned its attention to the offseason is on pace to finish the season with 92 points.
“Everybody understands the situation,” Alex Ovechkin said after a March game against the Winnipeg Jets. “That’s why we fight all year, in training camp. We want to finish the season [strong]. In two weeks, we want to keep playing.”
A rejuvenated Ovechkin has mirrored the Capitals’ rebound this season. Through 43 games, Ovechkin had just eight goals. He scored 18 goals in the next 24 games, returning to an elite pace as the team started finding wins.
“I don’t know,” he said of the midseason resurgence. “The puck goes in.”
The Capitals’ 38-year-old captain will likely only experience a few more playoff runs — he’s said in interviews he plans to retire when his contract expires in 2026. But the future Hall of Famer says he’s living in the present.
“We live today, we play, we move on,” Ovechkin said in February.
The uphill road for the Capitals continues with a slew of tough opponents in April. Five of the team’s final eight games feature playoff-bound teams. Washington’s players say they’ll take it one day at a time.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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