Capitals Stumble Against Toronto

The Washington Capitals continued to perplex on Day 25 in a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The result dropped Washington to 5-7-2 for the season, and the game was not as close as the score indicated.

David Vyborny gave Washington a great start when he scored his fifth of the season from Bryan Berard and Oleg Saprykin at 1:15, but it was all Toronto after the goal. Staal tied it up from Smyth and Prucha at 6:09, before Prucha made it 2-1 with a power play tally at 10:42. The Leafs outshot the Caps 19-7 in the period.

Washington battled back in the second period to take the lead. Todd Warriner made it 2-2 from Patrick Marleau and Zigmund Palffy at 1:35, and Palffy's fifth of the year from Marleau and Radoslav Suchy at 15:23 gave the Caps the lead. It only lasted 15 seconds, however, as Morris evened things up for Toronto from Lupul and Kaberle at 15:38.

Timonen gave the Maple Leafs the victory with a power play marker from Staal and Prucha at 8:54.

Manny Legace made 36 saves in the loss and fell to 2-5-2. Evgeni Nabokov stopped 24 shots in the victory.

The Capitals are off until Day 28 when the Islanders come to town.