John Carlson Discusses Capitals' Power Play Struggles
Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson spoke about the ongoing difficulties with the team’s special teams, particularly their underperforming power play. The Capitals have had 40 power-play opportunities this season but converted only six, ranking them among the league’s weakest in that category.
During their current four-game losing streak, the team has gone 0-for-13 on the power play. Carlson admitted that a few successful conversions might have shifted outcomes in their recent close games where scoring has been an issue.
“We’ve had the opportunity to blow some games open and make some positive things happen for our team, and we haven’t, and that’s the most frustrating part of it all,”
Carlson noted that the problems begin with the team’s difficulty entering the offensive zone. Even when they do manage to set up, their plays often fall apart under pressure, preventing sustained possession or quality chances.
“When stuff like this happens, making the simpler play feels like it’s the wrong play,”
He emphasized that running a power play successfully is far from easy, despite how it might look to fans watching other teams execute theirs efficiently.
“From a fan perspective, it’s easy to see a power play work for another team and say, ‘Oh, it’s so easy to do this and that.’ But they don’t watch enough hockey to understand just how hard those plays that look simple actually are. Nothing’s given out there, and we got to do a better job earning it.”
Author’s Summary
The Capitals’ power play continues to stall, and Carlson stresses that execution and zone entries must improve if Washington hopes to reverse its offensive slump.