(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

The optimism that built over the season's first two months has all but vanished for the Anaheim Ducks, who bring a season-long five-game losing streak on the road Monday night against the Washington Capitals.

The only reason the Ducks are still near the top of the Pacific Division is because the Vegas Golden Knights had lost four in a row entering Sunday and the Edmonton Oilers had dropped two straight.

'Nobody is really looking at the standings right now,' Ducks captain Radko Gudas said. 'It's still halfway through the season. Anything can happen. It's obviously nice to be somewhere in the playoff picture compared to the last few years, where we were a lot of points out or a few points out, but we can't be looking at the standings right now and be satisfied with anything.'

After trading goalie John Gibson and signing his former backup Lukas Dostal to a five-year, $32.5 million contract in July, the Ducks are allowing a league-leading 3.56 goals per game.

Dostal (13-10, 3.22 goals-against average, .887 save percentage in 26 games in 2025-26) hasn't performed at the level he did last season, when he posted a .903 save percentage and 3.10 GAA in 49 starts, but he's also been hung out to dry by careless turnovers.

'We're just trying to, maybe, do a little more extra,' Gudas said. 'Or sometimes trying to do too much with the puck instead of simplifying the game.'

Ducks coach Joel Quenneville senses a lack of confidence with the puck, something his team flashed through the first 30 games, when they posted a 19-10-1 record. They've gone 2-7-2 since.

'I think when you're not winning, the confidence with the puck and positioning and trust, it kind of goes away,' Quenneville said. 'But nobody's going to feel sorry for you, you know. It's not just going to happen magically. You've got to make sure that we dig down and bear down and find a way, and getting back to what makes us a decent team is the little things.'

The Capitals, who are 3-6-3 in their last 12 games, ran into the Ducks on Dec. 5 in Anaheim and surrendered three one-goal leads before losing 4-3 in a shootout.

Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas scored in that game for Washington, but they could be unavailable in the rematch.

Wilson left Saturday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury. The team's leading goal scorer (22) and points leader (48) did not return.

Wilson was still being evaluated Sunday and the Capitals should have a better idea of his timeline Monday.

Protas, second on the team with 16 goals and tied for fourth with 31 points, was a late scratch against the Blackhawks because of a lower-body injury. He's considered day-to-day.

'I didn't think it was terrible, especially without 'Willy' and 'Pro' in the lineup,' Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said of the loss to Chicago. 'Those are huge holes. You're working through that.'

Not only would Wilson's offense be missed, but also his tough presence on the ice against an Anaheim team known for its physical play.

Capitals rookie forward Ryan Leonard was injured in the last game against the Ducks after taking a hard hit from Jacob Trouba and missed the next seven games.

--Field Level Media