Leafs @ Caps - 5 March 09 - Open Thread and Game Notes

The third time was the charm for former Ottawa Goaltender Martin Gerber who was placed on re-entry waiver by the ottawa Senators for the third time yesterday and finally lost him to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have announced that Starting G Vesa Toskala is out for the season. Fantasy Wise, drop Toskala if you have him and swap him for Gerber. Gerber cannot be any worse than Toskala...

OFB reader Mark, who works at the National Children's Medical Center, sent along this video of Alex Ovechkin Wii Boxing with a patent during their annual visit a few weeks ago. Do you think AO would trade the Wii controller for a pair of brass knuckles and the chance to "spar" with Grapes?

A common theme emerged in post-game interviews with Sergei Fedorov, Brooks Laich, and Coach Boudreau: the team played like individuals and fell away from the team game. Laich didn't exclude himself from the criticism: "The reason we've had success is that we play as a team . . . When we're not playing well, I want to do so much to help the team, and sometimes...

Here are some pictures from tonight's game:

No one could ever call the Washington Capitals a team of hubris. At least not in the D.C.-Metro area anyway. But for all of their success after seasons of mediocrity, for all of the attention they?ve received in carrying? professional sports in the District over the last several months, the Caps are in a surprising [...]

Washington Capitals' 2008 second-round pick Dmitri Kugryshev has enjoyed a super solid rookie season in North America. As March play in the Q begins, the Quebec Remparts' right wing is lodged at the top of the rookie scoring tally. But we're also noticing the modest numbers in his modest PIMs column.

Observations: Philly got bigger and tougher;Boston got more grit and more veteran;The Pens, in dumping Satan and adding Kunitz and Guerin, are markedly improved in their weakest area -- the wings;Montreal has been better since acquiring Mathieu Schneider;The Rags, along with Calgary, were Tuesday's most interesting team, making a high-end shakeup. They surely appear tougher to...

The Capitals were without two major pieces to the puzzle last night, and both are synonymous with one another.  The Caps missed Alex Ovechkin, who injured his foot in practice, and the they lacked offense, as they feel to their third straight loss, 2-1 to Toronto.

confirmed.

Well, I disagree with George McPhee.  Pronger and Bouwmeester would have been way to expensive, but to say some other defensive moves would not have been an upgrade is down right wrong.  I am all of defending this front office, but not on statements like that.  Derek Morris would not have been an up

(Photo: Getty Images)Gentle readers, here's the scoop. I was in Ottawa this past Monday until...well just a couple of hours actually as a mini-vacation. I hesitate to use the word "pleasure" because well, I went to see the steaming pile of crap that was the Senators versus the Flames last night and I hesitate to use that word when describing the game. To be fair, I really enjoyed...