Washington Capitals: Top 3 ways to beat the Stars

The Washington Capitals fell to the Dallas Stars earlier in the week. Here’s how they can get payback.

If I was Washington Capitals head coach Todd Reirden, I would clearly make adjustments after the way the team has blown leads in the third period. It’s a trend that’s occurred the last three games and needs to stop sooner rather than later.

There have been some good things going for the Caps like finally connecting on a power play goal and they’ll look to continue to trend upward in that direction. Here are the three things I would do to try to beat Dallas.

#3 Play 60 minutes

It’s vital that the Capitals play a complete, 60-minute game. It’s something they have failed to do since game number two when Ilya Samsonov made his season debut. The game before that also saw a complete effort and a rally from a two-goal deficit.

Lars Eller told Samantha Pell of The Washington Post (Subscription required):

“When you have a lead going into the third, you have to expect the other team to push, and I think we failed to match the intensity. It’s just we’re slowing down a little bit, and it’s just costing us. We talked about it going out to the period. It’s not like we aren’t unaware. We just aren’t doing it.”

#2 Keep the power play units intact

The power play struggled in Washington’s first two home games but found the back of the net in Nashville twice thanks to Alex Ovechkin. I’d say keep it since it’s working and maybe give some more young, speedy players like Jakub Vrana more time on the power play.

#1 Change up the lineup

I would rotate Lars Eller and Chandler Stephenson for this game to shake up the bottom six. I would also try Samsonov in net for a change for at least a game. It would be nothing against Braden Holtby but rather giving him a day off. There has been some mixing and matching as Reirden looks for the right line combinations as some players are still new faces adapting.

The depth scoring in the bottom six is what needs to get going so look for guys like Richard Panik and Carl Hagelin to step up tonight. Hagelin is due for a good game offensively.

Update from morning skate: The Capitals will go with Samsonov to get the start in goal while on the bottom six Nic Dowd is in on the fourth line for Chandler Stephenson.