ARLINGTON, Va. -- After spending the past two days trying to reset mentally and find his game in practice, Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby is eager to get on the ice at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for the 2018 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series against the Toronto, Maple Leafs on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVAS, NHL.TV).
Holtby looking to right ship for Capitals
Has lost six starts in row heading into Stadium Series game against Maple Leafs at Annapolis
Although there will be a lot pageantry surrounding the outdoor game being hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Holtby believes that will help him concentrate on what he needs to do to find his way out of his slump and help the Capitals win.
"It will be an opportunity to really just prepare, clear your head and play," Holtby said Friday. "There will be a lot more things going on that you can just focus on you and just play."
A month ago, there would have been no need for Capitals coach Barry Trotz to confirm that Holtby would start this game.
Holtby, who won the Vezina Trophy in 2016 and was a finalist again last season, was on pace for another 40-win season and was selected to play in the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game at Tampa Bay on Jan. 28. But Holtby's recent struggles and the strong play of backup Philipp Grubauer has created a decision for Trotz.
Holtby, 28, has lost six consecutive starts (0-4-2) for the first time in career. Over that stretch, he has allowed 26 goals on 174 shots, for a 5.20 goals-against average and .851 save percentage, and was pulled twice, including after the first period of his most recent start -- a 5-1 loss as the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
Grubauer, 26, is 4-0-0 with a 1.61 goals-against average, and a .949 save percentage in his past six appearances, four of them starts. Since going 0-5-1 in his first six starts, Grubauer is 8-2-2 with a 1.73 GAA, a .944 save percentage and one shutout.
Over that same stretch, Holtby is 16-9-4 with a 3.15 GAA and a .900 save percentage.
Starting Grubauer in such a high-profile game would have prompted questions about which goalie was the No. 1 going forward. So, maybe it wasn't that difficult of a choice for Trotz to stick with Holtby.
"Earlier when [Grubauer] was playing really well, [he] just couldn't get that win," Trotz said. "It's sort of flipped a little bit lately where we haven't had a win for [Holtby] or he's been able to steal one. So, that's part of the maturing of the goalies, both of them, in the same year."
The Capitals (36-21-7) lead the Metropolitan Division; they are one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers and two points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Holtby has the advantage of outdoor experience. He made 33 saves in the Capitals' 3-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Nationals Park in Washington and also played in the American Hockey League's 2012 Outdoor Classic at Citizens' Bank Park in Philadelphia with Hershey.
But to Holtby, it will be more about him and his approach than where the game is being played.
"Mentally, you just want to get back to not thinking, just playing again," said Holtby, who is 28-18-4 with a 3.02 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. "Focus on the basics that way because it's really not that far off of where we want to be. So, it's one of those situations that feels really bad, but it's really not as bad as it seems."
Holtby believes having time to practice on Thursday and Friday will help. Because of the Capitals' busy schedule over the past month, full practices have been rare.
"For me anyways, I like to answer all the questions in my head in practice so that when game time comes around I have a clear mind," Holtby said. "When you're not practicing as much, you try to make adjustments in game and that rarely seems to work. So, it's good to just get a few work days in."
This season has been an adjustment for Holtby after goalie coach Mitch Korn, 60, moved on to semiretirement as the Capitals director of goaltending and Scott Murray took over as the goalie coach. Holtby and Korn worked together closely the past three seasons and they continue to talk over the phone frequently.
Korn has spent most of this season at his home in Florida, but has been back with the Capitals this week, though not on the ice, lending his perspective in person to help Holtby.
"It always helps when Mitch is around," Holtby said. "But Scotty and I have a really good relationship and it's very similar to Mitch. It's just a luxury we have. We have a great goalie coach here with us every day and kind of a legend of the game that can stop in once in a while and help us both out really, or all three of us (including Murray and Grubauer)."
Ultimately it will be up to Holtby to perform Saturday and over the rest of the regular season. The Capitals (36-21-7) are in first place in the Metropolitan Division with 79 points, five points ahead of the fourth-place New Jersey Devils. So, they still have some work to do in the Stanley Cup Playoff race.
"With everything, there's an opportunity," Holtby said. "The last few years it seems like things have gone our way when we've wanted them to and it hasn't [gone our way] in a few games in a row. That's where you really need to just break things down, take a deep breath and realize that sometimes that happens. It's what you do with it."
