Caps @ Maple Leafs 1-23-2008 Wrap Up/ Caps vs. Maple Leafs 1-24-2008 Preview

The Local Yokels:

(Com)Post.

The Neutral Observers:

NHL.com AP Wire. TSN.ca.

The Other Side:

Toronto Globe and Mail: past is present, puzzle pieces, chance of a lifetime. Toronto Star: good start, circus sideshow. Toronto Sun: last second rescue, paranoid, total control, no quick fixes, liking prospects.

Final Thoughts:

The only good news about last night is that if we're able to win tonight, the damage will be minimized. This is a prime example of why I've been saying we need to continue this hot streak because with just one loss to the Maple Leafs, the Leafs have pulled within a single point of us. After all the hard work that was done just to get out of the cellar, we could very easily end up back there if we aren't careful.

49 down, 33 to go.


Washington Capitals (22-27; 49 points; 3rd Southeast Division, 11th Eastern Conference, 24th Overall) @ Toronto Maple Leafs (20-30; 46 points; 4th Northeast Division, 13th Eastern Conference, 27th Overall):
Caps Game #50, Home Game #25, NHL Game #745

Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. 7:08 pm. Washington TV: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WWWT 1500-AM, 107.7-FM. Toronto TV: LEAFS TV. Radio: CFMJ 640-AM. NHL Center Ice: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic.

Tonight the Caps head into the All-Star break by hosting the back end of the home-and-home with the Maple Leafs at the Phone Booth. After splitting the first two games this season in Toronto, the Leafs are paying their first visit to the Phone Booth this season where the two teams split the games held there last season.

What The Natives Are Saying:

Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Nothing that I could find.

What Do I Expect Tonight?:

The Caps will need to pick up their game in what has become a must win heading into the All-Star break. Should the Caps lose again in regulation tonight, the Leafs will climb past the Caps tonight and the Caps could fall to only two points ahead of the last place Ning in the Eastern Conference. Brent Johnson is expected to start and with a good performance tonight, he could very well start a goaltender controversy here in D.C. Had the Caps Power Play been able to connect just once last night, it could have been the difference in the game so the Power Play will need to get on the scoreboard tonight as I don't see the Leafs doing anything different tonight from what they did last night. Why should they? It worked.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 3
Leafs 2
Winner by Gordon.

(28-21 on the season)