Braden Holtby Expected To Start, Travis Boyd In For Chandler Stephenson: News From Morning Skate In Toronto

Photo: @SamanthaJPell

The Washington Capitals season-long five-game, 10-day road trip comes to a close tonight in Toronto when the Capitals and Maple Leafs square-off at Scotiabank Arena. Puck drop is set for just after 7:00PM. Here is the latest news from morning skate:

MORNING SKATE
The Capitals lines at morning skate. Travis Boyd will start in place of Chandler Stephenson at 4RW.

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Oshie
Vrana-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Hagelin-Eller-Hathaway
Leipsic-Dowd-Boyd

Kempny-Carlson
Orlov-Gudas
Siegenthaler-Jensen

Holtby

Braden Holtby is expected to get the start in goal for the visiting Capitals. Holtby’s stats so far this season: 4-1-3, 3.64 GAA, 0.886 SV%, 0 SO.  His career vs the Maple Leafs: 9-5-1, 2.39 GAA, 0.925 SV%, 1 SO.

Scenes from “the 6”:

FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Frederik Andersen will get the start in goal tonight for the Leafs. Andersen’s stats so far this season: 6-2-1, 2.94 GAA, 0.904 SV%, 0 SO. His career versus the Capitals: 5-2-1, 2.82 GAA, 0.913 SV%, 2 SO.

The starting lines and defensive pairs for the Leafs tonight. After undergoing shoulder surgery in May, defenseman Travis Dermott will draw back into the lineup for the first time in Tuesday’s clash with the Capitals.

POST-SKATE INTERVIEW WITH ALEX OVECHKIN
Captain Alex Ovechkin meeting with the swarm of Toronto media:

Ovechkin on the current state of the Maple Leafs:

Ovechkin on Auston Mathews:

Ovechkin on Leafs and whether they are playing as a team or for themselves:

SHAVINGS

  • The Capitals are 75-57-10-6 all-time against the Maple Leafs and 1-2-0 during the 2018-19 season.
  • Alex Ovechkin currently sits two goals shy of passing Luc Robitaille (668) for the 12th most goals in NHL history. Additionally, with two goals, Ovechkin would pass Robitaille for the most goals in NHL history by a primary left wing.
  • On Oct. 24 against Edmonton, Ovechkin became the fourth player in NHL history to score 250 goals on the power play. Ovechkin is now six power play goals shy of passing Teemu Selanne (255) for third place on the NHL’s all-time power play goals list.
  • Ovechkin is three games shy of his 1,100th career game. No other player from the 2004 NHL Draft class has reached the 1,000 game mark.
  • The Capitals are currently on a six-game point streak (5-0-1), the Capitals are looking to improve on their 8-2-3 record and their NHL-best 6-1-1 record on the road.

About Jon Sorensen

Jon has been a Caps fan since day one, attending his first game at the Capital Centre in 1974. His interest in the Caps has grown over the decades and included time as a season ticket holder. He has been a journalist covering the team for 10+ years, primarily focusing on analysis, analytics and prospect development.
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3 Responses to Braden Holtby Expected To Start, Travis Boyd In For Chandler Stephenson: News From Morning Skate In Toronto

  1. Anonymous says:

    Ovi droppin knowledge, free of charge.

  2. Day One Caps Fan says:

    Ovechkin the Immortal! Holding court with the Weenies of Toronto Sports media.

    Fascinating that Ovechkin invokes Dale Hunter in discussion of young Superstar’s defensive development. Good Advice for sure — the Post-Dale-Hunter Ovechkin was a far more mature, “200-foot” game player than the years before he got straightened out by the former Caps’ team captain.

    And Ovechkin shows compassion for a struggling, young NHL team with lots of talent. A class act.

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