The Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs playoff series is all tied up 1-1 and everyone is freaking out. Maybe all the Caps need is a change of scenery. Hopefully that’s the case as they’re now up north in Toronto for Games Three and Four.
I was in New Orleans last week and got into the local voodoo scene while I was down there. Got some cool stuff and I truly believe the Capitals should consider taking a team trip down there since they are in desperate need of some lucky puck bounces.
Puck drop at 7 PM on NBCSN. Our fave good tweet Pete will have your recap.
The series is tied 1-1.
| Team | Record | SA% | PDO | Power Play | Penalty Kill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | 55-19-8 | 53.2% | 103.0 | 23.1% (4th) | 83.8% (7th) |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 40-27-15 | 50.9% | 98.6 | 23.8% (2nd) | 82.5% (10th) |
Kasperi Kapanen
Wanna feel old? I mean…
Kasperi Kapanen, Raleigh, NC, 2000. #StanleyCup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/ili0t3Ba6h
— Mike Sundheim (@MikeSundheim) April 16, 2017
Projected Lines
HUGE news. Stay ALERT. Karl Alzner missed morning skate today so there could be a possible Schmidtuation.
The good boys:
Ovechkin – Backstrom – Oshie
Johansson – Kuznetsov – Williams
Connolly – Eller – Burakovsky
Winnik – Beagle – Wilson
Alzner/Schmidt??? – Carlson
Orlov – Niskanen
Orpik – Shattenkirk
Holtby
The bad boys:
Komarov – Kadri – Brown
JVR – Bozak – Marner
Hyman – Matthews – Nylander
Martin – Boyle – Kapanen
Gardiner – Zaitsev
Hunwick – Rielly
Marincin – Carrick
Andersen
Under Pressure
NBD
When teams are tied 1-1 in best-of-7 #StanleyCup Playoffs series, winner of Gm 3 holds all-time series record of 202-97 (67.6%) @EliasSports
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 17, 2017
Sizing Up the Leafs
Wanna read some fabulous analysis about the Caps vs. the Leafs from our suuuper smart squad? Now you can!
- Even strength is very strong
- Very special special teams on both sides
- Two goaltenders being hot on the ice and off the ice 😉
- Auston Matthews is a lean, mean, scoring chance machine
- Curious about who the heck the Caps are even playing? Get to know the Leafs roster
- The Caps’ not-so-hidden weaknesses
Storylines
- Justin Williams continues to be one of the best parts of watching a Caps game.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs? Yeah, they will NOT be pushed around by the top-seeded Capitals.
- I’m getting real tired of Steve Dangle being all happy because his team is doing well.
- Mike Babcock officially announced Roman Polak is done for the year. We wish all the best to him, that was a nasty fall.
- That Chris Brown concert? Officially BUMPED as Game Five details begin to come out!
- There are a couple pregame interviews that might interested you from Barry Trotz and Alex Ovechkin:
#Caps head coach Barry Trotz talks to the media prior to tonight’s Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. #CapsLeafs #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/CNjpQ9N1io
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2017
#Caps captain Alex Ovechkin talks to the media prior to tonight’s Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. #CapsLeafs #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/9oEUeGMBPX
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 17, 2017
- The Verizon Center had to cancel the Chris Brown concert to accommodate the Capitals, which they should’ve done anyway even if the Capitals weren’t in the playoffs…
- Need some good feels? Look at Karl Alzner and his daughter, Stella, kiss through the glass.
- Aaaaaaand this
Auston Ovechkin pic.twitter.com/OFB02IvUNb
— Matty Go Sens (@Gerv_Rebrand) April 16, 2017
DC Rising
Are the Capitals making you way too nervous? Are you concerned about your blood pressure but you still want that sweet, sweet rush of playoff sports? Let me sell you on the Washington Wizards (or how I affectionately call them…the ‘Zards).
- Fast-paced: One of the beautiful parts about hockey is that it keeps your attention. It’s fast and action packed. Basketball is pretty quick too and involves a lot of crazy skill, so your attention is definitely held.
- A game that can change at any moment: Seriously. The ‘zards were about 12 points up, then I went to eat a chocolate bunny. After I devoured the little bunny, the score was tied and let me tell you somethin’…I eat chocolate very fast.
- Same owner, same building, same colors: You don’t even have to get to know a new owner, a new spot, or a new shirt! They’re all the same! A few less things you have to worry about learning!
- Skill: I don’t even know how to sell you on this one, the skill is just so good. I swear, you’ll be entertained.
- They’re leading the series 1-0 and you should root, root, root for the home team.
Full Coverage of Caps vs Maple Leafs
Headline photo: Amanda Bowen
