MAPLE LEAFS (21-30-10) at CAPITALS (46-12-4)
TV: 7 p.m. ET; SN, CSN-DC, NHL-TV
Season series: The Washington Capitals have won four in a row against the Toronto Maple Leafs, including each of their two games this season. Alex Ovechkin's goal in the fourth round of the shootout gave Washington a 3-2 victory on Nov. 7 at Verizon Center. Three weeks later, Braden Holtby made 32 saves in the Capitals' 4-2 win at Air Canada Centre.
Maple Leafs team scope: Toronto's newest player is very familiar with the opposition. Forwards Brooks Laich was acquired by Toronto from Washington on Sunday for forward Daniel Winnik and played Monday in a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. "It's going to be a lot of mixed emotions and I'm going to have to try to control myself a little bit. But I'm going to have some fun." he told the team website Tuesday. Laich said he was happy to be playing for the team he grew up rooting for, even though the trade sent him from the League-leading Capitals to the last-place Maple Leafs. "It's a privilege to play for this franchise. I was a Maple Leaf fan until I was drafted by the Ottawa Senators, and that allegiance switched pretty quick, but [I'm] very excited to be here," Laich said. "The players and staff have welcomed me in, and I'm just very excited to be here and want to be part of the guys."
Capitals team scope: Backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer could get the start after Holtby made 28 saves in a 3-2 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. Defenseman Matt Niskanen's power-play goal with 6:22 left in regulation capped Washington's comeback from a 2-0 deficit and gave Holtby his 40th victory this season. He's the seventh goalie in NHL history with back-to-back 40-win seasons. One thing that coach Barry Trotz wants to see from his team is better starts: Washington has allowed the first goal in 15 of its past 18 games. "We're going to have to readjust our alarm clocks or whatever," Trotz said. "These starts … if we don't get that corrected, that's got to come from within. I tried for a while. I'm bringing it back in the room; I'm throwing it on them. They're a resilient group."
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