GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: WASHINGTON (4-6) at TORONTO (5-7)

NHL: WASHINGTON (4-6) at TORONTO (5-7)

<h3>Toskala looks to continue recent strong play in goal</h3>

<div class="pre">Washington (4-6-0) at Toronto (5-4-3) 7:30 pm EDT</div>

TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Maple Leafs traded for VesaToskala during the offseason to shore up their shakygoaltending. After a slow start, it appears to have been asolid move.


Toskala goes for his third consecutive win as he leads the MapleLeafs against the Washington Capitals on Monday.


Toskala, who was brought in to challenge incumbent goaltenderAndrew Raycroft on June 22 along with troubled left wing MarkBell, surrendered 24 goals over his first six starts, going2-3-1 in that stretch.


However, the 30-year-old netminder has been much better over hislast two appearances, allowing only three goals. He alsocollected 55 saves in posting a pair of road wins over thePittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers.


The recent play has complimented the NHL's second-highestscoring offense, which has benefited from the unexpectedcontribution of center Nik Antropov. The 27-year-old Russian,who has never had more than 45 points in his previous sevenseasons with Toronto, ranks among the NHL leaders with 15points.


Antropov's eight goals lead the team and his overall point totaltrails only teammate Mats Sundin, who has 18.


While Toronto struggled with its defense until just recently,the Capitals have played much better on that end. Despitedropping a 4-3 game on Saturday to the St. Louis Blues,Washington has held five straight opponents under 30 shots.

The play on the defensive end has not helped the team avoiddropping six of seven games though as the Capitals'highly-touted offense has managed more than three goals in agame only once this season.


While left wing Alexander Ovechkin leads the team in goals andassists and has scored seven points in his last three games, theCapitals' 24 goals so far this season is third-worst mark inthe Eastern Conference.

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL AT TORONTO
STARTING GOALIES: WAS - OLAF KOLZIG
TOR - VESA TOSKALA

OFFICIALS: REF - BILL MCCREARY, TOM KOWAL
LIN - BRAD KOVACHIK, PIERRE CHAMPOUX</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">WASHINGTON VS TORONTO - SCRATCHES

WASHINGTON TORONTO

T POTI GROIN B MCCABE GROIN
C CLARK HEALTHY
A SEMIN HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 0
TORONTO 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 1
TORONTO 0
1ST PRD: WAS - BOYD GORDON 1 (MATT BRADLEY) 3:19</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 1
TORONTO 1
1ST PRD: TOR - ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY 4 (MATS SUNDIN, JASON BLAKE) 3:50</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 1
TORONTO 1 15:38 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TORONTO 1
1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) MATT PETTINGER 1 (VIKTOR KOZLOV, MICHAEL NYLANDER)
5:26</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TORONTO 1 11:49 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 2
TORONTO 1 8:45 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 3
TORONTO 1
1ST PRD: WAS - ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 7 (VIKTOR KOZLOV, BOYD GORDON) 11:57</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 4
TORONTO 1
1ST PRD: WAS - JEFF SCHULTZ 1 (MICHAEL NYLANDER, MATT PETTINGER) 13:56</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 4
TORONTO 1 2:44 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 4 4
TORONTO 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: WAS - BOYD GORDON 1 (MATT BRADLEY) 3:19
TOR - ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY 4 (MATS SUNDIN, JASON BLAKE) 3:50
WAS - (PP) MATT PETTINGER 1 (VIKTOR KOZLOV, MICHAEL
NYLANDER) 5:26
WAS - ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 7 (VIKTOR KOZLOV, BOYD GORDON)
11:57
WAS - JEFF SCHULTZ 1 (MICHAEL NYLANDER, MATT PETTINGER)
13:56

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WAS 13 13
TOR 6 6

GOALIES: WAS - OLAF KOLZIG
TOR - VESA TOSKALA, ANDREW RAYCROFT (13:56, 1ST)</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">------------------------
Washington 4 --4
Toronto 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Washington, Boyd Gordon 1 (Matt Bradley),
3:19. 2, Toronto, Alexei Ponikarovsky 4 (Mats Sundin, Jason Blake),
3:50. 3, Washington, Matt Pettinger 1 (power play) (Viktor Kozlov,
Michael Nylander), 5:26. 4, Washington, Alexander Ovechkin 7 (Viktor
Kozlov, Boyd Gordon), 11:57. 5, Washington, Jeff Schultz 1 (Michael
Nylander, Matt Pettinger), 13:56. Penalties: P Kubina, Tor
(tripping), 4:14; D Steckel, Was (high sticking), 5:45; M Bradley, Was
(delay of game), 7:06; M Sundin, Tor (tripping), 7:06; A Ponikarovsky,
Tor (tripping), 15:44; B Pothier, Was (tripping), 19:49.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Washington 13 --13
Toronto 6 --6
-----------------------------

Goalies : Washington, Olaf Kolzig (6 shots, 5 saves). Toronto, Vesa
Toskala (13 shots, 9 saves), Andrew Raycroft (13:56 of 1st period, 0,
0). Referees: Bill Mccreary, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik,
Pierre Champoux.</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 4
TORONTO 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 4
TORONTO 1 16:56 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 4
TORONTO 1 11:59 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 5
TORONTO 1
2ND PRD: WAS - (SH) MATT BRADLEY 1 (JOHN ERSKINE) 8:57</div>

 

NHL: WASHINGTON at TORONTO

<div class="pre">NHL WASHINGTON 6
TORONTO 1
2ND PRD: WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 8 (BRIAN POTHIER, MICHAEL
NYLANDER) 11:09</div>