Carbery Has Powerful Message For Capitals Ahead Of Elimination Game 4 vs. Rangers: Not Expecting To Win 'Is A Failure' & 'Loser's Mindset'

WASHINGTON — Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery had quite the message for his underdog group as they look to keep their season alive in Game 4 against the New York Rangers on Sunday: expect to win, "and anything short of that is a failure."

Carbery was blunt as he discussed his group and the experience that the young players are getting in this run, and while he said playing in these types of games is valuable for the group, it's not enough.

"It's a good measuring stick moment to see, 'Okay, this is the level that I'm trying to aspire to get to and be able to do it consistently.' But in the same sentence, I will say this: For me, it'll never be — ever — I don't care what our scenario, rebuild, youngest team in the league, it will not matter to me and we will never be satisfied if we gained experience, got into the playoffs," Carbery said. "Because to me, that's a loser's mindset."

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The first-year NHL head coach stressed that the Capitals need to possess a winning mentality every night regardless of the matchup, and that's a big part of taking the next step forward for the team.

"Whether we're the youngest team in the league. Doens't mean it's gonna happen, doesn't mean we're gonna win a Stanley Cup, but you should have a mindset that you expect to win and you expect to get in the playoffs and you expect to beat the New Yrok Rangers in the first round. And anything short of that is a failure.

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"That's always your mindset is, 'I'm winning tonight,' whether you're playing against the defending Stanley Cup champions. The youngest team in the league, you're rebuilding and you're step one. It might not happen, but that's your mindset. And that's what I think for us as a group and for me, the culture and rebuilding this thing, is that is one of the cornerstone parts... we expect to beat the New York Rangers tonight. It's not okay that we got experience and made the playoffs."

Washington will host New York at 8 p.m. on Sunday at Capital One Arena in hopes of avoiding a sweep.