Why can't the Caps play with effort all the time?

I realize in an 82-game season, it's not reasonable to expect that any team will bring it every night. But, when the Caps hustle, they win. It's that simple. It's also the one thing they haven't done consistently in the Alex Ovechkin era.

After getting blown away by the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Tuesday and publically proclaiming they weren't ready for the game, the Caps played hard this weekend and came away with strong wins against the Nashville Predators, 5-2 on Saturday, and against the New York Rangers, 4-1 on Sunday. Reading about Karl Alzner saying the Caps weren't prepared for the Carolina game made me want to throw my remote at the TV. This problem is way too common with this team.

From barely looking alive during too many first periods, to generating far fewer shots on goals than most winning teams, from giving up a goal a minute or so after scoring one, to falling apart after going down by two goals, this is not a mentally strong or a consistently performing hockey team. That is on the players and the coaches.

Read more at thefarmclub.net.

The Lightning are up tomorrow.

Let's go Caps!