During their 11-game winning streak the Capitals are averaging a staggering 4.6 goals per game.
But the hot stretch doesn’t just stem from the offense. Washington has allowed just 22 goals. Great goaltending? Sure. But along with that goes a penalty kill that has been routinely excellent. The Caps have killed off 43 of their opponent’s 50 power plays over the past 11 games, including five of six Tuesday against Boston.
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That leaves the Caps tied for 19th overall in the NHL on the penalty kill (80.5 percent). San Jose leads the league (87.3 percent). Middle-of-the-pack teams are around 81.6 percent.
But Washington’s ranking is misleading. In October, the Caps killed 48 of 59 penalties (81.4 percent). That number was 36 of 42 in December (85.7 percent) and, since Jan. 1, is 58 of 71 (81.7 percent). That’s fine work for three solid months (82.5 percent). Except you have to include November. Those 14 games witnessed a wretched 10 for 41 penalty kill (24.3 percent) and have made the Caps’ numbers look far worse.
Forward Boyd Gordon, one of the team’s best penalty killers, has helped since he returned to the lineup Dec. 28 after playing just seven games with an ailing back. Among forwards, Gordon averages 2 minutes, 45 seconds of shorthanded ice time per game. Only David Steckel (3:04) logs more. That also gives Washington two faceoff specialists on the penalty kill.
