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Top 3 ways Capitals can beat Maple Leafs

It's a hockey night in Washington

By Michael Marzzacco |
Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals / Patrick Smith/GettyImages
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The Washington Capitals are back in action for a middle of the week matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. They'll be looking to maintain a model of consistency that has helped vault them to the conversation to the top of the Metropolitan Division and possibly beyond.

Per Sammi Silber of The Hockey News, Logan Thompson was off the ice first at the optional morning skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, ending the goalie rotation between Thompson and Charlie Lindgren. Which brings us to our first key of defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs.

#3 Logan

Logan Thompson has been an absolute stud since the Capitals shocked the hockey world by acquiring him from the Los Angeles Kings. He's won all seven of his starts which marks the longest winning streak by a Capitals goaltender at the start of their tenure with the franchise.

What will make Thompson's job easier tonight is he won't have to worry about Auston Matthews who remains out of the lineup with an upper body injury.

The Maple Leafs are coming off a loss to the Ottawa Senators while the Caps are coming off a win over the St. Louis Blues. For the Leafs, it snapped their short winning streak.

Matt Roy, Washington Capitals
Matt Roy, Washington Capitals / Patrick Smith/GettyImages

#2 Defenive shore ups

Lost in the madness that is the great Capitals offense at five on five, perhaps the greatest show on ice, is the Caps penalty kill. Since Halloween the Caps have killed off 15 straight opposing power play opportunities.

Overall the Caps rank fourth in the NHL in penalty kill percentage at 87 percent through games played Nov. 11. The team has allowed 57 shots against while shorthanded this season, which is tied for the seventh lowest total in the NHL, per Natural Stat Trick.

In good news about Charlie Lindgren, who is still one heck of a goaltender even with the hot hand of Logan Thompson. Lindgren has a .962 save percentage when the team is shorthanded which is the third highest save percentage in the NHL.

And the defense can turn into offense as Rasmus Sandin enters tonight's game against his former team on a two game goal streak. All seven of his points this season have come in his last nine games played as he's recorded two goals and five assists.

This season he leads the Caps and ranks tied for 16th in the NHL in blocked shots with 34 through games played Nov. 11.

Rasmus Sandin, Washington Capitals
Rasmus Sandin, Washington Capitals / Patrick Smith/GettyImages

#1 Offensive firepower

45 of Washington's 59 goals this season have come at five on five which is the most five on five gaols in the NHL through games played Nov. 11. Four of the five skaters who rank in the top five in the NHL in points per 60 minutes at five on five suit up for your Washington Capitals.

Dylan Strome's 14 points at five on five rank tied for second in the NHL. Connor McMichael's nine five on five goals are the second most in the NHL. Alex Ovechkin scored twice in St. Louis on Saturday night which gave him eight goals in his last seven games.

It also marked Ovechkin's 175th career multi goal game, and only Wayne Gretzky (189) has more in NHL history. His first goal stood as the game winner, marking the 131st career game winning goal. He is now five shy of passing Jaromir Jagr (135) for the most game winning goals in NHL history.

Ovechkin has reached 10 goals in his first 14 games of a season for the ninth time in his career. In each of the prior eight occassions he finished with at least 40 goals and scored 50 goals five times.

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