The Washington Capitals’ power play is scuffling as they head into their final three games before a lengthy break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Since January 12, the Capitals have converted on only 17.4 percent of their power-play attempts, which ranks 25th best in the NHL.
Many of their recent problems up a man came to a head against the Ottawa Senators last Thursday. The Capitals gave up two shorthanded penalty shots, one shorthanded goal, and only saw 42.3 percent of the expected goals with their power play on the ice. They turned things around in the third period and struck twice on man advantages, but only after the coaching staff made personnel changes.
Aliaksei Protas and Ethen Frank received their first real power-play ice time of the season. Head coach Spencer Carbery expects the new arrangement to persist for the next few games.
“Pro has earned the opportunity to play,” Carbery said Monday. “We’ve held off 50 games of him being as productive of a five-on-five player as there is in the league. And so he’s going to get a look to be able to play power play as long as it doesn’t diminish what he continues to do five-on-five and on the penalty kill. We’ll give him a chance to prove himself there.
“Frank as well, similar boat. I can’t really speak to the specifics of what they will be able to do, but the opportunities there and changing up the mix of personnel is the objective right now, and then, hopefully, they can be productive.”
Both players were given their first planned looks against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. The Capitals rolled out two different units but they only had 1:18 of power-play time.
First unit
Second unit
Protas has played just 4:33 total power-play ice time this season, and 1:19 of that has come over the past two games. The 24-year-old forward immediately recorded an assist on Alex Ovechkin’s power-play goal against Ottawa. The power-play point was his first of the year after notching 33 five-on-five points, which is tied for ninth-best in the league.
Frank has been a prolific power-play scorer in the AHL for the Hershey Bears, recording 27 career power-play goals. While he may be unable to line up in his usual spot with the Bears, Ovechkin’s office, the Capitals could use his speed to make entries easier and his hard, accurate shot.
“The power play has gone a little bit stale,” Carbery said. “Changing personnel and mixing up formations are ways that us as coaches can try to reinvigorate the power play and plug some life into it. And hopefully, it heats back up, and we move on.”
