Dennis Hildeby will tend goal for the Maple Leafs, who are seeking revenge after forfeiting a 2-0 lead in Washington three weeks ago (7:00 p.m. EST, Sportsnet Ontario).
Game Day Quotes
Craig Berube on the challenge presented by the Capitals:
We came in here last time and had the lead going into the third period. I thought we played a pretty good game until that point, but we let them come back on us and score a couple of goals in the third.
They’re a really good rush team. Their defensemen are very active and do a good job in the offensive zone. We have to forecheck them well tonight and slow them down. That will be a big key, and then we have to make sure we’re above them all night.
We’ll need to get to our game right away, come out on our toes, skate, attack, and play to our identity: get pucks deep right away, and go to work on that defense core over there, forcing them into bad puck plays. They’re a very good rush team with a very active D. We are going to have to be really good off the rush tonight defensively.
Berube on the decision to start Dennis Hildeby in goal tonight:
With Woll coming back from injury and playing that game (vs. Chicago), we thought about starting him again tonight, but I think it is important that we make sure he is rested and ready to go for the next one.
Berube on putting together a Robertson-Tavares-Cowan line:
In the third period (vs. Chicago), I thought they created a lot more. Robertson has some speed on that line, and Easton as well. Easton is there to make plays. He found those guys a couple of times on a few plays. Hopefully, that line can find some chemistry and produce a little bit for us.
Spencer Carbery on the challenge he is expecting from the Leafs:
It’s funny. You read little snippets about what is going on, and then you look at their record in the last 10, and it’s like, “What is going on here? They’re 6-2-2 in their last 10!”
Having played them recently, we have a good feel for their group, but we also know it is a good hockey team. As we felt in that game, we are going to have to be good tonight. As we work through our game and how we have been playing of late, it is a really important game for our group.
Carbery on the Capitals’ comeback win over the Leafs in late November:
We got a little bit frustrated. We scored on the first shift, and it got called back on an early whistle. It sort of got us off-kilter a little bit for the rest of the first, and then we got down in the game. But then the push from our group — we had a great third period.
It was one of those games that has become emblematic of our group over the last couple of years. You could feel that we were not going to be denied that night. We were going to find a way to get back into that game and tie that game up. We eventually won it in regulation.
It was a character win for our group at home, for sure.
John Tavares on competing against Alex Ovechkin over the last 15 years in the league:
It is always a challenge. It is a great part of playing in the NHL — you’re playing against the best in the world, and Ovi is an all-time great player. What he has done is remarkable and hard to fathom.
First and foremost, his passion for the sport has been really unique since he came in. The type of skillset he brings, with his longevity and ability to always be a threat to score goals and impact the game… It is always a challenge against him, knowing how lethal he is.
Maple Leafs (15-12-5) vs. Capitals (18-11-4): Head-to-Head Stats
via NaturalStatTrick.com & AdvancedHockeyStats.com
Toronto Maple Leafs Projected Lines
Forwards
#23 Matthew Knies – #34 Auston Matthews – #88 William Nylander
#89 Nick Robertson – #91 John Tavares – #53 Easton Cowan
#81 Dakota Joshua – #55 Nicolas Roy – #74 Bobby McMann
#18 Steven Lorentz – #24 Scott Laughton – #11 Max Domi
Defensemen
#22 Jake McCabe – #28 Troy Stecher
#44 Morgan Rielly – #95 Oliver Ekman-Larsson
#2 Simon Benoit – #3 Henry Thrun
Goaltenders
Starter: #35 Dennis Hildeby
#60 Joseph Woll
Extras: Calle Jarnkrok, Matias Maccelli, Philippe Myers
Injured/Out: Brandon Carlo (IR), Anthony Stolarz (IR), Chris Tanev (LTIR)
Washington Capitals Projected Lines
Forwards
#72 Anthony Beauvillier – #17 Dylan Strome – #8 Alex Ovechkin
#21 Aliaksei Protas – #34 Justin Sourdif – #43 Tom Wilson
#15 Sonny Milano – #24 Connor McMichael – #53 Ethen Frank
#22 Brandon Duhame – #26 Nic Dowd – #87 Bogdan Trineyev
Defensemen
#42 Martin Fehervary – #74 John Carlson
#6 Jakob Chychrun – #3 Matt Roy
#38 Rasmus Sandin – #47 Declan Chisholm
Goaltenders
Starter: #48 Logan Thompson
#79 Charlie Lindgren
Injured/Out: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ryan Leonard
