TOR currently -.5 at +125 ML -120. WASH +.5 at -145 ML +100
I am laying off this but thought I would provide some info from around the net.
From the Washington Post...
Friday, January 11, 2002; Page D07
Washington Capitals Coach Ron Wilson said yesterday that he expects offensive stars Peter Bondra and Jaromir Jagr to play tonight against the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Maple Leafs, though both wingers are nursing minor ailments.
Jagr left Wednesday's game against Columbus a few minutes early with a groin/upper hamstring injury and did not practice yesterday. Bondra, tied for third in the NHL with 24 goals, missed Wednesday's 6-3 victory and yesterday's practice because of the flu. Wilson said both will be in his lineup tonight and the team does not plan to recall a forward from its minor league affiliate in Portland, Maine.
"I'm positive [Jagr] is playing," Wilson said. "And Peter is dealing with the flu and he's riding the bike at home, and I'm positive he'll be ready."
Jagr said he suffered the injury while chasing a loose puck Wednesday and may seek anacupuncture treatment he often received from a therapist in Pittsburgh who uses electronic needles to penetrate deep within muscles for rapid relief.
"I felt something snap, kind of like, in my hamstring, and I didn't want to play again," said Jagr, who hopes to find a local acupuncturist to administer the special technique. "It was five minutes left, we had a three-goal lead, and I knew if I skated it would get a lot worse. That's why I left the game and hopefully it's going to be good. But I knew if I would finish the game something bad would happen."
The Capitals are optimistic two other important players could return to the lineup shortly as well. Winger Ulf Dahlen (bruised foot) will miss his ninth game tonight, but said he expects to begin skating and practicing with the team by Sunday. Dahlen had originally hoped to begin skating this past Sunday. Defenseman Brendan Witt missed the last two games with a sprained thumb, but returned to practice yesterday and believes there is an outside chance he could play Saturday at Florida.
"I've still got a lot of swelling in it," Witt said. "It's a tough area to get the swelling out. [Wednesday] I skated for the first time and it was really sore. It's a little bit better today -- it was really sore Wednesday -- so it takes time. But hopefully, it will come along."
Jagr has been hampered by several injuries this season -- sprained knee, lost tooth/facial lacerations and now a groin problem -- but is becoming a game-altering force on a consistent basis. He is assertive, challenging defensemen, and unselfish, drawing attention and then setting up teammates around the net. Jagr, acquired from Pittsburgh in July, brings a seven-game point streak into tonight's game, scoring 11 points over seven games after netting just five points in the previous nine contests.
"I think he's coming to terms with what he has to do in our lineup to be successful," Wilson said, "how to play off his teammates and what we're trying to accomplish. He's worked hard and he's been ready to play in all the games recently."
Jagr, who has cracked the league's top 20 in scoring and is third in the NHL in points per game, said he feels comfortable and confident after battling self-doubt and learning to adapt to his new teammates and surroundings. Two weeks ago Jagr met with Adam Oates, his regular center, to speak candidly about the adjustments necessary to mesh as a tandem, and both players have led the attack since.
"I think some people thought [the transition to a new team] was going to be a lot quicker," Jagr said. "But I knew it was going to take long because everything is just different. I still think I am a good player and I don't mind people putting pressure on me, because I should play good, it's my job to do that. The reason why we played bad, that's just me.
"I know if I'm going to play good -- if I play the way I am able to play -- we're going to win a lot of games. That's the way it is; that's the way it's got to be. I should be the guy to be able to change the game, and most of the nights I wasn't that guy. But the last 10 games I feel a lot better. I start working a lot harder than I ever did, and hopefully it's going to get better and better."
Capitals Notes: Washington's maligned defense will be challenged by Toronto, the second-highest scoring team in the conference.
"They're the top team in the East, they're big, they've got some great offensive skill," Wilson said. "And obviously, with the people we have missing from our lineup, it's going to be a great test. We need a great game from [goalie Olaf Kolzig] and our special teams are going to have to kick in and get the job done as well."
From faceoff.com...
The Washington Capitals made some moves earlier this week. Trying to address their problems with speed and defense, they brought in three new players who helped greatly in the team's 6-3 victory over Columbus Wednesday.
The question now is -- what can they do from here?
Washington signed forward Colin Forbes to a one-year contract and called him up from Portland of the AHL. The Caps also called up defensemen Todd Rohloff and Jean-Francois Fortin from Portland hoping to get some kind of spark at both ends of the ice. All three helped in the win, which leads them to a bigger test Friday against the powerful Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I was happy with the three players tonight," Washington GM George McPhee said. "We needed it."
Forbes displayed the speed he's shown through 257 other NHL games by scoring a late goal. Rohloff got an assist on the team's first goal and, although Fortin saw a puck bounce off his skate and into the Washington goal, he played well.
Washington coach Ron Wilson said he hopes the trio can continue to play well as the Caps enter into a tough stretch of games leading to the February Olympic break where they'll need depth.
"They did a great job," Wilson said. "The guys on defense moved the puck quickly and their skating ability got them out of trouble is there was any trouble, and Colin Forbes...has played [257] games in the league so that wasn't a surprise."
Defense has been what Wilson always has built this team around and it's fallen this season, mainly due to injuries. But this trio helped with the defense.
"We got the job done on defense," Wilson said.
Rohloff and Fortin made their NHL debuts and both fought off some early nerves to play well. They'll both need to be at their best Friday when the Maple Leafs come to town.
"It was a pretty exciting experience," Rohloff said. "The biggest difference is the speed and the size of the players and as far as getting experience and stuff, it's just keeping it simple and moving the puck quick."
Washington officials have been deeply concerned about the speed problem Teams have been skating rings around the Caps this season and coming up with numerous odd-man rushes.
If the Caps want to make any type of late-season run, they need the speed and the defense to improve together.
DON'T WORRY, HE'S FINE: The Washington Capitals received a scare during Wednesday's win over Columbus when Jaromir Jagr pulled himself off the ice in the final minutes, but team officials said Thursday that he'll play in Friday's game with Toronto.
Jagr strained his groin after scoring a goal in Washington's 6-3 victory over the Blue Jackets and left the game. He came to practice Thursday and received treatment but left before the session ended without going on the ice.
"He'll play [Friday]," Wilson said.
Jagr scored one of his most spectacular goals of the season against Columbus, flying down the right wing, stopping quickly and pushing the puck between the legs of a Blue Jackets player before moving the middle and scoring. It brought the MCI Center crowd to its feet, roaring its approval.
THIS 'N THAT: Jeff Halpern has been finding more scoring chances lately. He came up with two assists in the Columbus game...Sergei Gonchar continued to help the Washington offense with two goals against the Blue Jackets, one of which came on a brutal shot from the point. Wilson said Gonchar has one of the NHL's best shots from the blue line. "He's got a bomb," Wilson said....The coach also gave Dainius Zubrus some credit for the Jagr goal. The speedy Zubrus drove towards the goal as Jagr raced up-ice, pulling two Columbus defenders with him -- which opened up the ice for the former Pittsburgh star...Goalie Olaf Kolzig's sore ankle is getting better, and Wilson said they'll need a big game from him against the Leafs...The Caps remain nine points behind Carolina and are four points out of a playoff spot...Enforcer Stephen Peat scored his second goal in two weeks, again showing a good shot.
Jeff Seidel covers the Washington Capitals on a freelance basis.
...more to follow...
I am laying off this but thought I would provide some info from around the net.
From the Washington Post...
Friday, January 11, 2002; Page D07
Washington Capitals Coach Ron Wilson said yesterday that he expects offensive stars Peter Bondra and Jaromir Jagr to play tonight against the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Maple Leafs, though both wingers are nursing minor ailments.
Jagr left Wednesday's game against Columbus a few minutes early with a groin/upper hamstring injury and did not practice yesterday. Bondra, tied for third in the NHL with 24 goals, missed Wednesday's 6-3 victory and yesterday's practice because of the flu. Wilson said both will be in his lineup tonight and the team does not plan to recall a forward from its minor league affiliate in Portland, Maine.
"I'm positive [Jagr] is playing," Wilson said. "And Peter is dealing with the flu and he's riding the bike at home, and I'm positive he'll be ready."
Jagr said he suffered the injury while chasing a loose puck Wednesday and may seek anacupuncture treatment he often received from a therapist in Pittsburgh who uses electronic needles to penetrate deep within muscles for rapid relief.
"I felt something snap, kind of like, in my hamstring, and I didn't want to play again," said Jagr, who hopes to find a local acupuncturist to administer the special technique. "It was five minutes left, we had a three-goal lead, and I knew if I skated it would get a lot worse. That's why I left the game and hopefully it's going to be good. But I knew if I would finish the game something bad would happen."
The Capitals are optimistic two other important players could return to the lineup shortly as well. Winger Ulf Dahlen (bruised foot) will miss his ninth game tonight, but said he expects to begin skating and practicing with the team by Sunday. Dahlen had originally hoped to begin skating this past Sunday. Defenseman Brendan Witt missed the last two games with a sprained thumb, but returned to practice yesterday and believes there is an outside chance he could play Saturday at Florida.
"I've still got a lot of swelling in it," Witt said. "It's a tough area to get the swelling out. [Wednesday] I skated for the first time and it was really sore. It's a little bit better today -- it was really sore Wednesday -- so it takes time. But hopefully, it will come along."
Jagr has been hampered by several injuries this season -- sprained knee, lost tooth/facial lacerations and now a groin problem -- but is becoming a game-altering force on a consistent basis. He is assertive, challenging defensemen, and unselfish, drawing attention and then setting up teammates around the net. Jagr, acquired from Pittsburgh in July, brings a seven-game point streak into tonight's game, scoring 11 points over seven games after netting just five points in the previous nine contests.
"I think he's coming to terms with what he has to do in our lineup to be successful," Wilson said, "how to play off his teammates and what we're trying to accomplish. He's worked hard and he's been ready to play in all the games recently."
Jagr, who has cracked the league's top 20 in scoring and is third in the NHL in points per game, said he feels comfortable and confident after battling self-doubt and learning to adapt to his new teammates and surroundings. Two weeks ago Jagr met with Adam Oates, his regular center, to speak candidly about the adjustments necessary to mesh as a tandem, and both players have led the attack since.
"I think some people thought [the transition to a new team] was going to be a lot quicker," Jagr said. "But I knew it was going to take long because everything is just different. I still think I am a good player and I don't mind people putting pressure on me, because I should play good, it's my job to do that. The reason why we played bad, that's just me.
"I know if I'm going to play good -- if I play the way I am able to play -- we're going to win a lot of games. That's the way it is; that's the way it's got to be. I should be the guy to be able to change the game, and most of the nights I wasn't that guy. But the last 10 games I feel a lot better. I start working a lot harder than I ever did, and hopefully it's going to get better and better."
Capitals Notes: Washington's maligned defense will be challenged by Toronto, the second-highest scoring team in the conference.
"They're the top team in the East, they're big, they've got some great offensive skill," Wilson said. "And obviously, with the people we have missing from our lineup, it's going to be a great test. We need a great game from [goalie Olaf Kolzig] and our special teams are going to have to kick in and get the job done as well."
From faceoff.com...
The Washington Capitals made some moves earlier this week. Trying to address their problems with speed and defense, they brought in three new players who helped greatly in the team's 6-3 victory over Columbus Wednesday.
The question now is -- what can they do from here?
Washington signed forward Colin Forbes to a one-year contract and called him up from Portland of the AHL. The Caps also called up defensemen Todd Rohloff and Jean-Francois Fortin from Portland hoping to get some kind of spark at both ends of the ice. All three helped in the win, which leads them to a bigger test Friday against the powerful Toronto Maple Leafs.
"I was happy with the three players tonight," Washington GM George McPhee said. "We needed it."
Forbes displayed the speed he's shown through 257 other NHL games by scoring a late goal. Rohloff got an assist on the team's first goal and, although Fortin saw a puck bounce off his skate and into the Washington goal, he played well.
Washington coach Ron Wilson said he hopes the trio can continue to play well as the Caps enter into a tough stretch of games leading to the February Olympic break where they'll need depth.
"They did a great job," Wilson said. "The guys on defense moved the puck quickly and their skating ability got them out of trouble is there was any trouble, and Colin Forbes...has played [257] games in the league so that wasn't a surprise."
Defense has been what Wilson always has built this team around and it's fallen this season, mainly due to injuries. But this trio helped with the defense.
"We got the job done on defense," Wilson said.
Rohloff and Fortin made their NHL debuts and both fought off some early nerves to play well. They'll both need to be at their best Friday when the Maple Leafs come to town.
"It was a pretty exciting experience," Rohloff said. "The biggest difference is the speed and the size of the players and as far as getting experience and stuff, it's just keeping it simple and moving the puck quick."
Washington officials have been deeply concerned about the speed problem Teams have been skating rings around the Caps this season and coming up with numerous odd-man rushes.
If the Caps want to make any type of late-season run, they need the speed and the defense to improve together.
DON'T WORRY, HE'S FINE: The Washington Capitals received a scare during Wednesday's win over Columbus when Jaromir Jagr pulled himself off the ice in the final minutes, but team officials said Thursday that he'll play in Friday's game with Toronto.
Jagr strained his groin after scoring a goal in Washington's 6-3 victory over the Blue Jackets and left the game. He came to practice Thursday and received treatment but left before the session ended without going on the ice.
"He'll play [Friday]," Wilson said.
Jagr scored one of his most spectacular goals of the season against Columbus, flying down the right wing, stopping quickly and pushing the puck between the legs of a Blue Jackets player before moving the middle and scoring. It brought the MCI Center crowd to its feet, roaring its approval.
THIS 'N THAT: Jeff Halpern has been finding more scoring chances lately. He came up with two assists in the Columbus game...Sergei Gonchar continued to help the Washington offense with two goals against the Blue Jackets, one of which came on a brutal shot from the point. Wilson said Gonchar has one of the NHL's best shots from the blue line. "He's got a bomb," Wilson said....The coach also gave Dainius Zubrus some credit for the Jagr goal. The speedy Zubrus drove towards the goal as Jagr raced up-ice, pulling two Columbus defenders with him -- which opened up the ice for the former Pittsburgh star...Goalie Olaf Kolzig's sore ankle is getting better, and Wilson said they'll need a big game from him against the Leafs...The Caps remain nine points behind Carolina and are four points out of a playoff spot...Enforcer Stephen Peat scored his second goal in two weeks, again showing a good shot.
Jeff Seidel covers the Washington Capitals on a freelance basis.
...more to follow...
