> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Preview: Maple Leafs v. Capitals - URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/preview-maple-leafs-v-capi/ - Published: 2008-12-06T21:00:05.000Z - Updated: 2008-12-06T21:00:05.000Z - Author: Julian Sanchez - Tags: #chorus, #Import 2023-04-05 11:01 *Hey, who is that scoring the game winner?* It's amazing what can change in 96 hours. After Monday's game the Leafs had a revitalized goalie, a hard-working team with two scoring lines, and a defence that seemed to be rounding into form. Now the Leafs's goaltending is back to being questionable (or [a step above mediocre](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nnn-vesa-toskala-eh/)) and the team's best defenceman [is falling to pieces](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/game-recap-tomas-kaberle-4/). **REMEMBER YOUR** [**SPG PICKS**](http://pickspg.com/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) **FOR THE CONTEST (WILL NOT HAPPEN EXEMPT)** The Capitals come into Toronto with [some serious injuries](http://www.japersrink.com/2008/12/4/682145/quantifying-the-injury-woe?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) to their team but the depth that George McPhee has compiled has kept the Capitals humming. --- ### Washington Capitals Injuries #### Questionable | Player | Injury Type | Injury Date | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | ----------- | | [John Erskine](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.952) | mild concussion | 12.5.2008 | | [Tom Poti](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.212) | groin | 12.5.2008 | | [Sergei Fedorov](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.205) | sprained left ankle | 12.5.2008 | #### Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable) | Player | Injury Type | Injury Date | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ----------- | | [Jeff Schultz](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.2117) | broken finger | 11.26.2008 | | [Chris Clark](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.750) | stress fracture in right forearm | 11.26.2008 | | [Mike Green](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.1886) | bruised right shoulder | 11.20.2008 | | [Brian Pothier](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.829) | post-concussion syndrome | 9.20.2008 | | [Alexander Semin](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.1460) | strained upper back/shoulder | 11.20.2008 | --- That is an absolutely ridiculous amount of injuries. They've handled them mostly because Ovechking is awesome: --- | | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG | GWG | GTG | SOG | PCT | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | -- | -- | -- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---- | | 2008 - [Alex Ovechkin](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.1841) | 24 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 11 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 135 | 10.4 | --- Ovechkin started off slow but has since gotten back to the form that has made him probably the most popular player in the NHL. The goaltending has been up and down which is scary because once they get it together they'll get above they will have little trouble running away with the division. --- ### Southeast Standings | | GP | W | L | OTL | PT | | -------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | -- | -- | --- | -- | | [Washington](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/teams/WAS) | 26 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 31 | | [Carolina](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/teams/CAR) | 26 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 26 | | [Florida](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/teams/FLA) | 25 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 25 | | [Tampa Bay](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/teams/TAM) | 25 | 6 | 11 | 8 | 20 | | [Atlanta](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/teams/ATL) | 25 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 19 | (updated 12.5.2008 at 9:06 AM EST) --- On the Leafs' side, the injuries are not as oppresive as the Capitals: --- ### Toronto Maple Leafs Injuries #### Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable) | Player | Injury Type | Injury Date | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- | ----------- | | [Mike Van Ryn](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.989) | concussion/broken nose/hand | 11.9.2008 | | [Jonas Frogren](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.2738) | torn muscles in left arm | 11.25.2008 | --- That Van Ryn injury, in my mind, has really unsettled the defence. It will be interesting to see how he slots back into the lineup and I don't think it can come soon enough.One thing that I think we can be reasonably sure of, as The Omen mentioned, is that Kaberle will be thrown back into the deep end. --- | | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG | GWG | GTG | SOG | PCT | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -- | - | -- | -- | ---- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2008 - [Tomas Kaberle](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/nhl/players/l.nhl.com-p.605) | 26 | 2 | 13 | 15 | \-10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 6.1 | --- The amazing thing is that despite having the rough season he is still on pace for 6 goals and 41 assists. The -30 mark that he is on pace for the slightly scary part. Part of Kaberle's struggles can probably be attributed to the loss of his long time partner in Bryan McCabe. I think getting paired with Pavel Kubina for a stretch could benefit him. So it's the Southeast-leading Capitals coming into Toronto to face a Leafs team that got skated hard at 8am before flying across three time zones. Will that affect the team? Probably in a good way.