CHICAGO – The Washington Capitals boarded another plane Thursday afternoon, hoping what awaited upon arrival here might, finally, snap the unbroken circle. Twelve days have passed since they last won, five straight losses building to Friday’s Winter Classic appetizer against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Every team’s going to go through a bit of an identity crisis,” forward Brooks Laich said. “Sometimes you’ve got to meet the devil to know his name.”

They learned this after wasting second-period leads against Detroit, Tampa Bay, Arizona and Calgary; after tangible mistakes like defensive-zone turnovers; and after head-scratching misfortune, like the puck that deflected off forward Troy Brouwer’s skate. The low point was Sunday’s 6-5 loss to the Coyotes. A rebound win seemed in the cards two days later against the Flames, but Washington lost in overtime. And so the Capitals returned to practice Thursday morning with intensity, perhaps more than anyone could remember during a regular season practice. They preached process, about marching through the swamps together.

“I feel more optimistic than pessimistic,” Coach Barry Trotz said. “It’s just dealing with reality sometimes.”

For the Capitals, reality has become this: They rank among the NHL’s top five teams at pelting shots toward opposing nets, blocked or otherwise, and allow fewer shots than every team but Minnesota. But since Oct. 22, when their western Canadian road trip began in Edmonton, their save percentage ranks a league-worst .839 and their shot percentage ranks 13th, at 9.01.

They have scored on the power play in four straight games and thrice reached three goals total — Trotz’s barometer for when teams lock down games. But he questioned their “behavior” after the Arizona loss, their resolve tested at every juncture. They departed Dulles International Airport into a fleeting rainstorm, bound for the city known for its bluster.

“I think our team is actually in a fairly good place in terms of we just need to get better every day,” Trotz said. “We’ve been talking about that. I thought we had a good, intense practice today. I think our focus is really good. We understand it’s a process and through this process we’re going to go through some rough patches.

“We’re going to go through some good patches, but if we stay constant on trying to get better, I think we’ve got enough pieces to be really good. Every component of every game has to be really sharp. If they’re all sharp at the same time, we can play with any team in the National Hockey League.”

They have proven as much in spurts, shutting out Boston at TD Garden, topping Calgary at the Saddledome, running New Jersey into the ground at home. But they have also watched a 3-1 lead slip away against the Coyotes, a 3-2 lead disappear against the Flames and 2-1 leads splatter against Tampa Bay and Detroit.

“We need to get back to business,” Laich said. “We need to win some hockey games and … I’m a big believer that preparation hangs out with victory. You prepare the right way, you’re going to get rewarded. We haven’t been getting rewarded with wins. You need to strip your game down to your foundation, which is your work ethic and your hustle. You start from there.”

“When you’re working hard and you’re doing the simple things,” forward Joel Ward said, “you get more success.”

The intensity ramped up Thursday morning, but the looseness lingered, too. The Capitals recalled and joked about their fan event at the National Zoo. They pumped fists and banged sticks over good goals. They packed for the airport, not the least bit discouraged, or so they claimed.

“No, actually I probably feel the total opposite,” Trotz said. “If you keep looking at the horizon and keep that focus of where we want to get to, I think we can get there.”