The team got a huge makeover during the summer and hasn't exactly met expectations with a pedestrian 10-11-0 record, 12th in the Eastern Conference and 10 points behind the Caps' 30. In fact, they're one of three teams in the NHL who do not have an overtime loss (the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks are the others). Montreal has won four games in overtime and as many in a shootout.
Just for shiggles, here's that last fact in French: Les Canadiens sont l’une des trois équipes (Pittsburgh et Vancouver) à ne pas avoir perdu en temps supplémentaire cette saison. En huit matchs, Montréal a gagné quatre fois en prolongation et autant de fois en fusillade.
Newcomers Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta lead Les Habitant with eight goals, although Gionta is currently on the injured list. The Habs are one of 12 teams that don't have a 20-point scorer.
Conversely, the Caps are one of two teams (along with San Jose) with more than two players with at least 20 points: four, in fact (Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Brooks Laich and Mike Green).
Tomas Fleischmann, who is expected to skate with Ovechkin and Backstrom tonight on the top line, currently boasts a nine-game point-scoring streak, which is tied for the fourth-longest in the NHL this season; only Ovechkin and Backstrom have enjoyed longer streaks for the team since the 2004-05 work stoppage. Fleischmann ranks first in the league in shooting percentage (33.3 percent) and fifth in goals per game (0.70) and already has seven goals and 11 points despite missing more than half the season recovering from a blood clot in his leg.
This is only the Caps' second game against a Canadian franchise since its home opener Oct. 3 against Toronto. Seven of the next 15 games are against Canadian teams. Washington will be on CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" four of the next five weeks -- which means Don Cherry will have plenty of time to rip Ovie about something.
The Maple Leafs, by the way, is having an even more miserable season than their rvial Canadians. They dropped a 6-5 shootout decision last night in Carolina after holding a 3-0 lead more than halfway through the game. They've been outscored 24-13 in the first period -- also the stanza when the Caps have thrived (outscoring their opponents 25-11 entering tonight's game). So the key is simple: bury the Leafs in the first and roll the dice after that.
Note: Tickets go on sale Monday for the inaugural Caps Care Casino Night and Auction, to be held Sunday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in Alexandria.
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