Game #29 Preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals

Where: Verizon Center, Washington, DC

When:  December 6, 2010 7:00 PM

History:           

Caps Record on this Date: 7-6-1-0

Caps Game 29 Record: 19-12-4-0

All-Time vs. TOR: 56-49-10-4

All-Time Home vs. TOR: 36-21-4-1

Last Season vs. TOR: 2-1-1

Last Meeting: 11/3/10, WAS 5 TOR 4 (OT-SO)

This Year:

WAS Record: 18-8-2

Standings Points: 38

Division Rank: 1st

Conference Rank: 2nd      

Last Game: 12/4/10, WAS 1 ATL 3

Streak: Loss 2

TOR Record: 9-12-4

Standings Points: 22

Division Rank: 5th

Conference Rank: 13th    

Last Game: 12/4/10, TOR 3 BOS 2 (OT-SO)

Streak: Win 1

Probable Line-Ups:     

Washington

Forward Line 1: 8 OVECHKIN, 19 BACKSTROM, 22 KNUBLE

Forward Line 2: 21 LAICH, 90 JOHANSSON, 28 SEMIN

Forward Line 3: 25 CHIMERA, 15 GORDON, 16 FEHR

Forward Line 4: 26 HENDRICKS, 39 STECKEL, 10 BRADLEY

Defense Pair 1: 55 SCHULTZ, 52 GREEN

Defense Pair 2: 27 ALZNER, 74 CARLSON

Defense Pair 3: 89 SLOAN, 23 HANNAN

Goalie: 30 NEUVIRTH

Back-up Goalie: 1 VARLAMOV

Toronto

Forward Line 1: 16 MACARTHUR, 84 GRABOVSKI, 41 KULEMIN

Forward Line 2: 32 VERSTEEG, 81 KESSEL, 9 ARMSTRONG

Forward Line 3: 11 SJOSTROM, 42 BOZAK, 37 BRENT

Forward Line 4: 38 ROSEHILL, 43 KADRI, 28 ORR

Defense Pair 1: 2 SCHENN, 22 BEAUCHEMIN

Defense Pair 2: 8 KOMISEREK, 15 KABERLE

Defense Pair 3: 59 AULIE, 36 GUNNARSSON

Goalie: 35 GIGUERE

Back-up Goalie: 50 GUSTVASSON

Injuries:

Washington – 3 POTI (lower body) DTD, 4 ERSKINE (lower body) DTD

Toronto – 9 ARMSTRONG (finger) IR, BROWN (finger) IR, PHANEUF (leg) IR

Caps Milestones:

Jason Chimera needs 1 point to reach 200 in his career.

Mike Knuble needs 8 points to reach 500 in his career.

Preview:

The Toronto Maple Leafs come to Verizon Center to face a Capitals team that has lost two consecutive games where they failed to score more than one goal. Look for the Capitals to break out of the goal scoring slump. Alex Ovechkin broke his personal 9-game goalless streak with a goal on Saturday against the Thrashers. Ovechkin and the rest of the team need to get better shots on the net and that comes with hard work. The Caps put 46 shots on net but did not have many rebound or deflection attempts. Tonight’s game will be another hardworking game as Toronto never seems to go away and the Caps have struggled with them in the recent past. I expect the Caps to pour on the pressure early and try to get on the board first. Look out for Ovechkin who is due for a big game.

Joe’s prediction: Caps 5 TOR 2

Official Preview