Capitals need to make big lineup change to help get Alex Ovechkin going

If the Washington Capitals are going to have any chance to get back in their first round series against the New York Rangers they are going to need to get a lot more from superstar forward Alex Ovechkin. 

With the Capitals facing a 2-0 series deficit after Tuesday's 4-3 loss, Ovechkin does not have a single point in the series while also recording just one shot on goal in two games. 

After Tuesday's game Capitals coach Spencer Carbery admitted that Ovechkin is struggling and looks "a little off." 

There is a lineup move that Carbery could try before Game 3 that might help to get him going.

It is giving him a new center.

Over the first two games of the series Ovechkin has been playing alongside Connor McMichael, a duo that has not exactly produced a lot this season when it has been used. The center that Ovechkin has the most success with this year has actually been Dylan Strome, who has been centering the team's second line in the series.

It might be time for the Capitals to flip them. There are also a lot of numbers to support it.

During the regular season the Capitals averaged 2.66 goals and 3.21 expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play when Ovechkin and Strome played together, while also having a better than 50% shot attempt share. Those are strong numbers, and the type of impact the Capitals need from their best player. 

But when Ovechkin played alongside McMichael, the Capitals averaged just 2.00 expected goals and only 1.69 goals per 60 minutes. That is a significant drop when compared to his play alongside Strome. 

All of those numbers come via hockey analytics site Natural Stat Trick.

The Capitals were already heavy underdogs in this series against the Presidents' Trophy winning Rangers. Now that they are down two games in the series they are running out of time to be patient. 

They clearly need to try something different. Ovechkin and Strome have worked well together this season (and significantly better than Ovechkin and McMichael have), and it might be time to go back to it.