[FONT="]On the flip side, Washington is looking to clamp down defensively as a prime way to end its four-game skid.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Capitals, whose 3.77 goals against per game puts them near the bottom in the NHL, have allowed 22 during their four-game losing streak.[/FONT]
[FONT="]"We are trying to play hard and trying to do the right things, but it seems like we are doing the same mistakes over and over again, and we've got these easy goals against us, and it is an area we need to get better on -- defensive zone," Washington center Nicklas Backstrom said.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said defensive lapses Sunday weren't plentiful so much as they were costly.[/FONT]
[FONT="]"I don't think there was a ton," he said. "I don't think we were overwhelmed offensively. But the ones we gave up, we can do a better job.[/FONT]
[FONT="]"There are going to be things that we can do better, and (we) will continue to work at it to be better defensively[/FONT]