Capitals Look to Bounce Back Against Devils

Even it's still October - with 77 games left on the schedule - there's a bit of uneasiness around the Capitals in the last couple of days, especially in the way the team has fallen into a three-game slide.

Bad penalties, poor defensive coverage and goaltending breakdowns have contributed to losses to the Flyers, Rangers and Red Wings, and now the team will look to regain its swagger when the New Jersey Devils roll into town Monday night.

Jose Theodore, following a good performance on Saturday, will get the start against a New Jersey club that's won two straight against Southeast opponents after starting off the season 0-2.

It hasn't been pretty for the Devils so far, as Martin Brodeur was called upon to make 41 saves against the Lightning to take the season's first points in Tampa Bay, and despite that, the future Hall-of-Famer has posted a 3.22 GAA so far with an unhealthy .890 save percentage. But the Devs have won the first two on their three-game road-trip, and are looking to return to Newark with six points after tonight's tilt.

While Washington's defense has struggled, allowing 18 goals in five games, the Devils haven't been much better, allowing 13 goals in four games, with New Jersey only scoring 11 goals in those contests.

However, even Washington's offense has slowed from its torrid start, with Alexander Ovechkin in a relative mini-slump with no goals in the past two games.

The killer has been giving up careless penalties with the team's penalty-killers not getting the job done, as the Red Wings went 2-for-5 with the extra man, including the game-winner down the stretch with the game knotted at two. Mike Green and Alexander Semin took a pair of penalties each, with the defenseman already having taken six minors in five games in a tough start for last year's Norris Trophy finalist.

But, with a lot more attention being placed on October hockey than normal around town with the Redskins struggling to outpace the Caps in wins, Washington looks to put aside a trio of sub-par performances to rest before the very tough San Jose Sharks hit town on Thursday night.