Caps (7-4-0, 14 points) vs. Maple Leafs (5-5-1, 11 points)
What » Game #12
Where » Verizon Center
When » 7 p.m.
TV/Radio » CSN HD/1500 AM
These are the games you really can’t afford to let slip away. Toronto played a home game 24 hours ago against Ottawa. The Maple Leafs had to immediately board a plane for a late flight to the District. They found out this morning that defenseman Dion Phaneuf would miss 4-to-6 weeks after he was cut by a skate blade above his left knee in last night’s game.
Less than ideal circumstances considering the Caps are 4-1 at home and dropped 12 goals on the Leafs in two games at Verizon Center last season. To be fair, Toronto appears much improved. But this is a pretty tall order for a team that’s also scored just nine goals in its last seven games and is 1-5-1 since a 4-0 start.
The Caps will likely go with Michal Neuvirth – the NHL’s rookie of the month – again in goal. Meanwhile, forward Eric Fehr is back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch on Saturday at Calgary. But Bruce Boudreau said at his pregame press conference he hadn’t decided who is out yet. Would make sense to dress enforcer D.J. King on the fourth line with noted pugilist Colton Orr on the other side. In that case one of Matt Hendricks, Matt Bradley, Boyd Gordon or David Steckel would sit.
“We just wanted to give [Fehr] a little wake-up call,” Boudreau said. “But it wasn’t a punishment…When you have a quality player like Eric you don’t sit him out for a long time.”
Washington recalled defenseman Brian Fahey from AHL Hershey today so Tom Poti (lower-body injury) and Tyler Sloan (hip) are out for at least one more game. Marcus Johansson (hip) won’t play tonight, either. Semyon Varlamov (groin) skated this morning for the first time in 10 days, but remains on injured reserve.
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