LGD: Capitalizing
By ThatsKappy
5 years agoGood morning!
The Leafs are back at home tonight after a six-game road trip. They’ll be welcoming the Washington Capitals to Scotiabank Arena for the second time this season. The Leafs most recently downed the Caps 6-3 prior to the All-Star Break, cruising to the victory on the back of a Nazem Kadri hat trick.
The Leafs will, however, be without Kadri’s services tonight, as he is sidelined with a concussion. Here’s to hoping he’ll be back at some point during this four-game homestand.
Leafs Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ZACH HYMAN Rating: 73.0#67 LW |  JOHN TAVARES Rating: 81.9#12 C |  MITCH MARNER Rating: 78.3#15 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 77.75#15 FL1 |
 PATRICK MARLEAU Rating: 73.0#65 LW |  AUSTON MATTHEWS Rating: 84.9#6 C |  KASPERI KAPANEN Rating: 74.6#41 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 77.53#5 FL2 |
 ANDREAS JOHNSSON Rating: 76.5#28 LW |  WILLIAM NYLANDER Rating: 75.6#35 C |  CONNOR BROWN Rating: 70.5#104 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 74.18#3 FL3 |
 PAR LINDHOLM Rating: 70.2#115 LW |  FREDERIK GAUTHIER Rating: 68.4#179 C |  TYLER ENNIS Rating: 72.0#85 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.20#27 FL4 |
-William Nylander is at centre on the third line, which is fun.
-Tyler Ennis slots back in with Kadri out.
And an update on defence…
Muzzin-Dermott is exciting. Rielly-Hainsey still being a thing is less exciting. It’s always a give and take, isn’t it?
Caps Lines
| LW | C | RW | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|
 ALEX OVECHKIN Rating: 85.8#1 LW |  EVGENY KUZNETSOV Rating: 80.2#21 C |  TOM WILSON Rating: 75.3#40 RW | FL1 Rating Rating: 80.45#4 FL1 |
 JAKUB VRANA Rating: 75.0#50 LW |  NICKLAS BACKSTROM Rating: 76.5#43 C |  T.J. OSHIE Rating: 78.1#17 RW | FL2 Rating Rating: 76.52#8 FL2 |
 ANDRE BURAKOVSKY Rating: 71.9#86 LW |  LARS ELLER Rating: 72.8#94 C |  BRETT CONNOLLY Rating: 73.7#52 RW | FL3 Rating Rating: 72.81#13 FL3 |
 CHANDLER STEPHENSON Rating: 68.8#176 LW |  NIC DOWD Rating: 70.9#146 C |  TRAVIS BOYD Rating: 71.1#91 RW | FL4 Rating Rating: 70.28#25 FL4 |
| DEFENSIVE PAIRINGS | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
 MICHAL KEMPNY Rating: 72.6#64 LD |  JOHN CARLSON Rating: 79.5#11 RD | DL1 Rating Rating: 76.05#13 DL1 |
 DMITRI ORLOV Rating: 73.1#55 LD |  MATT NISKANEN Rating: 73.5#40 RD | DL2 Rating Rating: 73.31#16 DL2 |
 BROOKS ORPIK Rating: 69.3#123 LD |  CHRISTIAN DJOOS Rating: 71.1#85 RD | DL3 Rating Rating: 70.24#28 DL3 |
Assuming the Capitals don’t pull off some blockbuster trade this afternoon, this is how their lines will look. The Caps are fully healthy, and Alexander Ovechkin may be en route to the most prolific goalscoring season of his career at age 33. Caps fans and Leafs fans alike should soak this one in.
Who’s Hot
- Auston Matthews has seven points in his last four games, including a clutch game-tying goal in St. Louis on Tuesday night.
- As mentioned, Alexander Ovechkin is showing no signs of slowing down. With five goals in his last five games, he’s now at 42 through 59 contests this season.
Starting Goalies
Expect a matchup of Braden Holtby (.907) and Frederik Andersen (.923) between the pipes tonight. The Leafs have sputtered in the last few games, but Andersen remains as steady as ever. Holtby has been mired in a difficult up-and-down season, so the book is still out on which version of the Caps’ netminder will show up tonight.
Puck Drop is at 7pm on TSN4.
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