GDT: Game #6: LEAFS vs STANLEY CUP CHAMPS | Sat, Oct 13 7:00 PM EST | CBC HNIC, NHLN-US, NBCSWA

[CanadasTeam]

Ovechkin gonna murder Gardiner with a Body Check confirmed

Unfortunately. I expect Jake and Zaitsev to be wearing extra paddings tomorrow night

 

[OVO16]

Looking forward to some massive hits by Kadri in this game

 

[Coachcorner]

We gonna bank on that thang bigg tyme again versus these dorks, fools really. They winnas, but they ain't impossible to win. I don't thank we have a better rolling team at the moment. Seen these fools play, they be real hard. Wilson is out and that's a real good thang for our rear ends. They still have some hard asses, but we might be able to squeeze it in though. Meaning we going through holtby and score some on the PP. They will score ice hockey goals too. This game will be a high scoring game, again and again and again. Our D can't stop kuznetsov oshie bacstrom ovie and carlsson at this moment. Seen em play. They is doing thangs and moving thangs. We might be able to score more than them fools though. Remains to be seen and y'all can bank on that thang there.

 

[LeafShark]

Say it with me.

Auston Matthews is better than Alexander Ovechkin.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

If we are lucky we may actually see a body check in this game.

Zaitsev has had a couple of big hits the past couple of games below the red line.

 

[CanadasTeam]

Thread updated to GDT.

Carry on...

 

[Canada4Gold]

Has GDT always stood for Game Day Thread. I thought it was Game Discussion Thread

 

[Canada4Gold]

This will be an interesting one, firepower vs. firepower. Could be another 7-6 game.

Let’s rewind a year shall we? The Leafs have just started the 2017-18 season. 5 games in and it’s been a solid yet entertaining start at both ends of the ice. The team is 4-1 with 2 wins coming in overtime. They’ve scores 26 goals and given up 17. They’re travelling to Washington for what should be an exciting game. The words “could be another 7-6 game” is basically the phrase of the day. Everyone is expecting it.

Leafs win 2-0. Would be hilarious and awesome if that happens again. There are so many similarities.

 

[CanadasTeam]

These are the projected lineups, may change after the morning skate:

(4-1-0)

Marleau-Matthews-Kapanen
Hyman-Tavares-Marner
Lindholm-Kadri-Brown
Leivo-Gauthier-Ennis

Rielly-Hainsey
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Ozhiganov

Andersen
Sparks



(2-1-0)

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Connolly
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Stephenson
Jaskin-Dowd-Smith-Pelly

Orlov-Niskanen
Kempny-Carlson
Orpik-Djoos

Holtby
Copley​

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

Reality check incoming

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Reality check incoming

Yea we were in fantasy land last year, in all of those wins against top teams.

 

[MJ65]

Even though it's too early in the season but nonetheless a good test for our "D" as Caps are loaded with skilled forwards. There is no question that our team is capable of facing any offensive matchups but defense is also a big part of hockey

 

[MJ65]

Reality check incoming

I understand that they are the reigning Stanley cup champions but are 2-1-1 (have lost 2 out of 4, 1 in OT) so far this season and were badly beaten by the Devils in their last game. This Washington team is loaded with offense but so are the Leafs, so it is wide open

 

[Nooodles]

I think we are in for a huuuge slap in the face, and we need it.

Some guys need to learn we always have to skate 60 minutes no matter who we play.

 

[Raging Bull]

Just don't let Kuznetsov score, can't stand to see that stupid flappy bird celebration.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Just don't let Kuznetsov score, can't stand to see that stupid flappy bird celebration.

Kind of the same here, but the annoyance lessened when I caught him talking about how he does it for his daughter who loves it more than anything. If you're going to do a stupid celebration, that's a very good reason.

 

[Black hat blue eyes]

At the game tonight in Washington. Hoping for a good game. Go leafs!

 

[Budsfan]

GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals
Terry KoshanMore from Terry Koshan

GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs at Washington Capitals

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at WASHINGTON CAPITALS
7 p.m., Capital One Arena, HNIC, TSN Radio 1050
BIG MATCHUP
Nazem Kadri vs. Lars Eller
Five games in and Leafs centre Nazem Kadri, coming off back-to-back 32-goal seasons, remains in search of his first goal of 2018-19. He probably will have to go up against Eller at even-strength while trying to score it, and Kadri might want to forget he has just four goals in 20 career games versus Washington. Eller can get under opponents’ skin (right, Brad Marchand?) and should enjoy a tussle with Kadri throughout the evening.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Lock it down

As Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly attempt to make further inroads in the NHL record book, the Leafs as a whole can’t get away from themselves like they did in Detroit. It’s one thing to allow a sub-par Red Wings team control the game in the final 20 minutes while managing to win; it’s another to allow the dangerous and experienced Capitals, at any point in the game, the same kind of freedom.

1. Play with fire

Through the first 10 days of the regular season, only seven teams have been shorthanded more often than Washington, which has been down 15 times. Caps penalty killers have been good on 12 of those shorthanded situations, but as we’ve seen, the Leafs don’t need numerous chances to score on power plays. As it has been doing for Toronto for the most part in five games, the power play could tip the scales on Saturday.

1. Work the circle

When he has not been putting the puck in the net, Matthews has been winning faceoffs, clipping along at a Leafs-high 55.5% (and 29th in the NHL overall). The Caps are carrying just a 43% in Corsi, and part of the reason is their abysmal showing at the dot, sitting in 30th at 42%. The Leafs are a shade over 50% in Corsi, but could improve on that against a Washington team that has trouble in possession.

1. On the spot

John Tavares’ hot start with the Leafs — six goals and four assists in four games — has been overshadowed, if only a bit, by the production of Matthews and Rielly. It’s worth noting that for years on an inferior New York Islanders team, Tavares did fine against Washington, recording 30 points (15 goals and 15 assists) in 34 games. Don’t expect Tavares to stray too far from the scoresheet on Saturday.

1. Caps crunched

The Capitals were beaten 6-0 by the Devils in New Jersey on Thursday, and it served as a reminder that teams will get up for games against the defending Cup champs. Washington expects a hungry Toronto group. “Years past, I remember playing games against the team that won (the Cup) and using it as a measuring stick,” defenceman Matt Niskanen said. “We’ll have to learn how to deal with that.”
MAPLE LEAFS LINES
LW-C-RW
Patrick Marleau-Auston Matthews-Kasperi Kapanen
Zach Hyman-John Tavares-Mitch Marner
Par Lindholm-Nazem Kadri-Connor Brown
Josh Leivo-Frederik Gauthier-Tyler Ennis
Defence pairs
Morgan Rielly-Ron Hainsey
Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev
Travis Dermott-Igor Ozhiganov
Goaltenders
Frederik Andersen
Garret Sparks
CAPITALS LINES
LW-C-RW
Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-Brett Connolly
Jakub Vrana-Nicklas Backstrom-T.J. Oshie
Andre Burakovsky-Lars Eller-Chandler Stephenson
Dmitrij Jaskin-Nic Dowd-Devante Smith-Pelly
Defence pairs
Dmitri Orlov-Matt Niskanen
Michal Kempny-John Carlson
Brooks Orpik-Christian Djoos
Goaltenders
Braden Holtby
Pheonix Copley
INJURIES
Capitals — F Travis Boyd (lower body).
Maple Leafs — None.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Power play
Capitals: 37.5% (4th)
Maple Leafs: 50% (2nd)
Penalty kill
Capitals: 80% (15th)
Maple Leafs: 84.6% (12th)

 

[Damisoph]

Reality check incoming

what? That we won't be at a .800 clip all year? f***in brilliant you are man.

 

[Budsfan]

 

[Mess]

Finally the Leafs get a playoff team and the champion to boot as real competition, after slicing through non-playoff and cellar dwellers for the last 5.

This will be a test to see if Leafs rise to the level of their competition.

25 GF [5 goals for/per game avg] and 20 GA [4 goals against/per game avg] makes the Leafs the best offensive and worst defensive team out of the gate simultaneously.

= Exciting success offensively and hot mess defensively.

 

[Cor]

Last year the Leafs first 3 games were high Event games. Allowed 10 goals in those 3 games, but scored 19. Then we got stomped by the Devils 6-3 and after that things settled down for us defensively with the exception of 3 losses in the end of October.

Ideally, we can settle our play down a bit without that loss, but tonight has the potential to be that wake up call, which Babcock may not even mind.

That said, I’m ready for Matthews to get to 12 in 6

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Last year in the three games...Caps won 2, Leafs 1. Caps 9 goals, Leafs 6.

So there is no reason to think that the Leafs can't play have a "defensive" game tonight, though I don't expect the Leafs to score more than four goals tonight either. Just might be an entertaining 3-2 game.

 

[Damisoph]

Good measuring stick early on. The Caps power play is basically as good as ours

 

[Liminality]

Finally the Leafs get a playoff team and the champion to boot as real competition, after slicing through non-playoff and cellar dwellers for the last 5.

This will be a test to see if Leafs rise to the level of their competition.

25 GF [5 goals for/per game avg] and 20 GA [4 goals against/per game avg] makes the Leafs the best offensive and worst defensive team out of the gate simultaneously.

= Exciting success offensively and hot mess defensively.

The Caps are right behind us in goals against average...