Caps vs. Maple Leafs 3-5-2009 Preview

Washington Capitals (40-25; 85 points; 1st Southeast Division, 3rd Eastern Conference, 5th Overall) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (25-39; 63 points; 4th Northeast Division, 11th Eastern Conference, 23rd Overall):
Caps Game #66, Home Game #35, NHL Game #958

Verizon Center, Washington, DC. 7:08 pm. Washington TV: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic. Radio: WFED 1500-AM. Toronto TV: Rogers Sportsnet Ontario. Radio: CFMJ 640-AM. NHL Center Ice: Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic feed.

Tonight the Caps try to get back on track on home ice where they've actually now lost four of their last six games when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto on the other hand is coming off a 3-2 loss to New Jersey in overtime on Tuesday night which snapped a season long four game winning streak for Toronto.

What The Natives Are Saying:

(Com)Post. Times: standing still, best move. Caps.com.

Neutral Views:

NHL.com AP Wire.

Open Source Intelligence:

Toronto Globe and Mail. Toronto Star: drafting up plans, buying and selling, possible payoff, Top 5 trades, not injured too bad, another chance. Toronto Sun: rebuilding underway, turn back the clock, not good enough, bitter taste, trade rankings, (we're not sure how to classify this), Toskala done, down but not out, Kaberle out too.

What Do We Expect Tonight?:

Well, for starters, overtime and maybe even a gimmick. The Maple Leafs have worked into the extra session for seven games in a row now and have played beyond sixty minutes 20 times so far this season. Their 13 Bettman points lead the NHL which means that they don't do too well once they get into overtime and are just 2 and 5 in gimmicks. Toronto has also stripped its roster down about as well as it can in order to gear up for a long overdue rebuilding process. The Caps have a good chance tonight to get themselves back on track after two ugly losses on home ice. Toronto is a team with nothing to play for while the Caps will want to show that despite the lack of movement yesterday, they still are a team to be taken seriously come playoff time. The only better opponent for that than the Maple Leafs are maybe the Islanders.

Caps Nut Official Prediction:

Caps 4
Leafs 1
Winner by Laich.

(5-5 on the season)