Tag: Toronto Maple Leafs

Pregame Preview:

The Caps return to the Verizon Center tonight to begin a three-game homestand against the Phoenix Coyotes. Since starting out the season red hot with a 7-0 record, Washington has gone 3-7-1 since and are currently on a four game losing streak. In the last three games, the Caps have been anemic on offense and defense and were outscored 14-3, including a 7-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

Coach Bruce Boudreau is continuing to alter the lineup, this time recalling defenseman Dmitry Orlov from Hershey to make his NHL debut. The addition of the 20-year old to the roster is in the hope of improving a team who has given up almost five times as many goals as they have scored in the past six days.

The Coyotes, however, are hot as of late, posting a record 6-2-1 in their last nine contests to put them at 10-5-3 on the season. They currently trail San Jose by two points for the Pacific division lead.

Boyd Gordon makes his return to D.C. after signing with the Coyotes as a free agent this past July. In 60 games during the 2010-2011 season, Gordon posted 9 points and averaged just over 13 minutes on the ice per game as a Capital. In 18 games this season, he already matched last season’s point total and averages over 16 minutes of ice time per game.

The Caps lead the all-time series against the Phoenix franchise with a record of 28-25-12-1.  Read more... (1051 words, estimated 4:12 mins reading time)

Pregame Preview:

What should not to be lost in the midst of Alex Ovechkin’s 10th career hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night is the performance of rookie goaltender Braden Holtby. The rookie, who started and won the last two games in place of injured Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth, has been very impressive, only allowing one goal in each contest and making acrobatic saves when needed. It will be very interesting to see how he performs against a Rangers team that ranks much higher in the Eastern Conference than the Maple Leafs and New York Islanders.  Read more... (770 words, estimated 3:05 mins reading time)

The Flyers come to downtown D.C. today having won four of its last five games, with their only loss in that span coming as a 4-0 shutout on Thursday against the team the Capitals defeated handily the night after to the tune of 6-1, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Today’s matchup will mark the fourth and final contest between these two teams during the regular season. In the previous three contest, the Capitals have scored 17 points, which was padded due to an 8-2 Capitals victory in Wachovia Center on Dec. 5th.  Read more... (532 words, estimated 2:08 mins reading time)

In an evening that Alexander Ovechkin had prophesized that he would score four goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he came up three short and was outshone by Curtis Joseph. 

On the strength of a magnificent performance from Cujo, the Leafs handed the Washington Capitals a 3-2 defeat. The veteran netminder was forced into action late in the game, and for overtime. He stopped nine shots, and earned the game’s first star, despite less than six minutes of work.   Read more... (725 words, estimated 2:54 mins reading time)

The crowd at the Verizon Center is spread out and more docile then normal tonight. Some might blame this on the fact that the Capitals have been outscored 12-3 in their last two games. I’m not some. I’ll blame tonight’s turnout and calmness on the fact that it’s a weeknight. Oh, and of course the small fact that that the Leafs are in town. (Sorry Mark Solway).

Here are a few thoughts from tonight’s festivities to this point…  Read more... (908 words, estimated 3:38 mins reading time)