Washington Capitals: Top 3 keys to victory against Isles

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Nic Dowd, Washington Capitals Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

#2 Win the face off battle

The Caps have been good this season on the face off dot. On Tuesday night against the New York Rangers, the Caps won 29 of their 52 face offs, good for 55.8 percent. That was tied for the fifth highest face off percentage in a game this season.

Since Feb. 16 and over the course of the last 22 games, the Caps have a 50.6 face off percentage. That ranks 12th in the NHL. Additionall, the Caps have won 52.8 percent of their face offs in their defensive zone and 53 percent of their face offs on the penalty kill, which ranks ninth and fourth, respectively.

This is a huge jump from where the Caps were at the beginning of the season when they were adjusting to a new system. During the first 13 games, the Caps ranked 28th in the NHL with a 46.0 face off percentage.

Nic Dowd was spectacular on the face off dot, winning eight of his 13 draws. He ranks eighth in the NHL in face off win percentage (57 percent) among skaters with at least 400 face offs this season. Dowd has won 194 of his 314 face offs (61.8 percent) since Feb. 16, tied for second in the NHL among skaters with at least 300 face offs during that span.

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