Caps at Best When It's Even Strength

The Caps' problems on the penalty kill make an even bigger impact when you compare them to their numbers at even strength. The red, white and blue are ranked in the upper echelon of the NHL when they're playing at even strength: goals for (93, sixth in the league) and goals against (79, eighth).

Shorthanded, however, the Caps plummet to the bottom. They've allowed 42 five-on-four power-play goals (26th) and seven five-on-three tallies (29th), while only notching three shorthanded goals (21st) on their own.

When they're on the power play, they've scored 42 times when they have a five-on-four advantage (third in the league) and two with a two-man advantage (25th). They've allowed just three shorthanded goals.

When it's four-on-four, they've scored four goals (15th) and allowed three (sixth).

This proves that, until the Caps can fix their penalty kill, they need to stay even strength or go on a five-on-four power play. Anything else seems to be a recipe for losing.