Let's face it, in an 82-game season, it's hard for a team to be at its best every single night. For the Caps, however, they can't afford to take a night off considering everyone is gunning for them.
When evaluating the team through the first 10 games of the season, head coach Barry Trotz acknowledged there were things the team had to work on, but he was also heartened by the fact that the team still has managed a good record considering the level of competition they face each and every night.
We're through 10 games. We're 7-2-1. We still got lots of room to build our game. You know it, I know it, the players know it, but we're 7-2-1 and that's not a bad record for a team that certainly has its target on them a little bit. We went out west and all you read in the papers, 'this is a benchmark team, this is a benchmark team.' That's sort of the responsibility of maybe a team that is considered one of the better teams in the league. Teams are up for you, they know that you're going to get their best game and when you don't maybe have your best game they can make you look pretty average.
When the opposing team has the Caps circled on their calendar, the Caps can't afford to let the foot off the gas a single period. Just look at what happened Thursday when the Caps sat back after taking a 3-0 lead over Winnipeg.
RELATED: Caps give up another big lead in what is becoming a troubling trend