The Caps arrived on Long Island this morning for tomorrow's tilt with the Islanders. Washington held a team meeting followed by an optional practice. The Caps are 3-0-1 in their last four games and can ensure a winning record for the month of October by taking a victory from the Fishermen on Saturday night.

Thursday's win in Atlanta was a sloppy one for the Caps. Washington leaped to a 5-2 second-period lead with three goals in a span of just 88 seconds, but were unable to put the Thrashers away. The Caps gave up a shorthanded goal and a power play goal in the third, and also squandered a 5-on-3 power play of 1:08 in duration that might have put the final nail in Atlanta's coffin. The Caps finished the night 0-for-7 on the power play.

"I take a lot of pride because I run the power play," says Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. "When you’re 0-for-7, you’ve got to put some of them in the net. And it nearly cost us. Our 5-on-3, you’ve got to score when you’ve got five minutes to go and you’ve got a 5-on-3. And we didn’t do it.

“We talked about it before the game. When we win the battle of the special teams, we’re 4-0. When we lose it, we’re 0-2-2. So we know that special teams every night are going to be an integral part of winning and losing in this league."

The Caps also did not get goals from any of their "Young Guns" on Thursday. Alexander Semin missed the game because of illness, and none of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green were able to light the lamp. The Caps got some secondary scoring in the game, which enabled Washington to get away with a win. 

Lack of secondary scoring had been a problem for Washington in the first eight games, but the Caps got it in spades on a night when they needed it, when they weren't getting the best from their best.

“It’s individualism is what it comes down to and we talk about it a lot," says Boudreau, speaking of the team's power play troubles on Thursday. "Our power play is based on five guys playing like one. But when we have five guys playing like five guys, it becomes no good. You could look at that game and say overall it was Nicky and Alex’s worst game in a long time. And they’re integral parts of the power play. So when they’re not at the top of their game a lot of things aren’t working.”

Semin won't play on Saturday against the Isles, nor will center Boyd Gordon or defenseman John Erskine, both of whom are nursing ailments. Jose Theodore will get the start in goal for Washington on Saturday.