from Alex Prewitt of Capitals Insider,

“The result is that we look like a slow team,” forward Brooks Laich said. “It has to get better.”

“If we turn the puck over against them, they’re really good in transition and they made us pay a few times,” defenseman Brooks Orpik said.

“We’re a quick team and we’re playing slow,” forward Troy Brouwer said. “Those types of frustration is what we’re not happy with.”

The Capitals had entered the playoffs preaching a “heavy” game built on pressuring forechecks and thundering hits, and instead the Islanders glided around them like red-sweatered cones. Their breakouts fizzled inside the neutral zone. Their passes sailed wide of their targets. On two occasions, ordinarily sure-handed skaters lost possession at the offensive blue line and forced themselves to regroup, without any opponents within striking distance.

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