Capitals HC Spencer Carbery sends clear message to team as playoff disappointment continues - "It cannot look like that"

The Washington Capitals are in a tough spot in the playoffs, and Spencer Carbery is trying his best to will them out of it. They're in the dreaded 3-1 hole against the Carolina Hurricanes despite being the Metropolitan Division's top seed and are in real danger of going home early.

During Game 4 on Monday, the Capitals failed to capitalize on an early power-play, as they couldn't get a single shot on goal, and watched their deficit double.

Despite being at a disadvantage, the Hurricanes scored again to make it 2-0. Carbery praised Carolina's penalty kill unit, but the coach did not mince words about his team's power-play lines.

“I saw what everybody else in the room saw," Carbery said, via Russian Machine Never Breaks. "It was not good. And so we made some adjustments, made some changes to personnel on it, but you can’t — their penalty kill is excellent, best in the league, has been for the last (five years), but it can’t look like that. It cannot look like that.”

One minute after Jordan Martinook went to the penalty box, Seth Jarvis scored a goal. The entire four-minute stretch on the power-play for Washington resulted in just two shots, both from Carolina.

Caps winger Tom Wilson also lamented that situation.

“Those moments are huge in the playoffs," Wilson said. "You’ve got to find a way to score. Simple as that. It’s not good enough. We’ve got to step up in that moment. It’s a huge turning point in the game. Special teams can be a momentum builder, as everybody knows. We’ve just got to find a way to pull the special teams our way a little bit.”

Washington returns home for Game 5 on Thursday with its back against the wall, as one more loss will end its season.

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Caps HC Spencer Carbery opens up on 3-1 deficit

Despite being down 3-1 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Washington Capitals are not out of it. They've been relatively close in three of the four games against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Spencer Carbery lamented his team's missed chances (Imagn)

They've had chances to turn the tide, but Caps coach Spencer Carbery said that they're not taking them.

“We’re giving ourselves some opportunities," Carbery said on Monday, via Russian Machine Never Breaks. "We’re just not executing, making the play, whatever you want to call it, and making some mistakes, and they’re capitalizing.”

Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET.