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Capitals not changing the lineup just yet

Calgary Flames v Washington Capitals

skates against the Calgary Flames at the Verizon Center on October 3, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Capitals defeated the Flames 5-4 in the shootout.

Bruce Bennett

Two losses in the first three games of the season doesn’t appear to be bringing on any changes to the Washington Capitals lineup.

As Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reported Monday, there was no tinkering to the forward combinations following the club’s latest setback, a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

“Nothing’s glaring, I mean we’ve lost one-goal games,” said Capitals head coach Adam Oates, as per the Washington Post.

“I think we’ve made mistakes at times in certain areas. I thought the other night [in Dallas], there were moments where we turned it over too many times, trying to get cute instead of making the obvious play and try to wear them out, which is the plan.”

And, so where does this leave forward Martin Erat?

As Janes reported, the 32-year-old Erat skated on the Capitals’ fourth line Monday. It took all of one game into the new season to express frustration over playing time.

“It’s very frustrating. I don’t know what to think about it. It’s hard, I have no idea what’s happening,” Erat said last week, after playing 9:01 in the season opener against Chicago.

“If you played 11 years in the league, I don’t think you lose your position in three or four games in the preseason. I don’t know.”

His ice time since then has fluctuated from 6:30 in Game 2 of the season, and back up to 8:27 on Saturday.

Follow @CamTucker_Metro