Caps crush Leafs

Hockey Betting Lines

12/28/2008 - Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brooks Laich and Alex Ovechkin scored two goals apiece to lead the streaking Washington Capitals to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Verizon Center.

Ovechkin upped his season total to 25 goals, tying him with Buffalo's Thomas Vanek for second in the NHL, one behind Philadelphia's Jeff Carter for the league lead. He helped Washington win its third in a row and eighth in its past nine. Jose Theodore made 23 saves in the win for the Capitals, on the night they retired Mike Gartner's No. 11 jersey.

Washington did so before the game, honoring the Hockey Hall of Famer who ranks second in Capitals history in goals (397), assists (392) and points (789). Gartner becomes the fourth player in Capitals history to have his number retired, joining Yvon Labre (No. 7), Rod Langway (No. 5) and Dale Hunter (No. 32).

Niklas Hagman scored the lone got for Toronto, which has lost three in a row and posted only four combined goals during that stretch. Vesa Toskala turned aside 25-of-28 shots for the Leafs.

Hagman got Toronto on the scoreboard first, tallying his 11th goal of the season with 5:37 left in the opening period. But two consecutive goals gave Washington the lead.

Laich netted a power-play marker with 7:06 remaining in the middle period, and with just 9.2 seconds left, Ovechkin beat Toskala during a 4-on-4 situation. Ovechkin had the puck while skating into the right circle, and snapped a shot around his defender, off Toskala's chest and into the net, his 24th of the season.

The game remained a 2-1 affair well into the third period, though about at the midway point of the final stanza, a Toronto shot bounced off the left post to prevent the equalizer. Then, with just 4:17 left in the contest, Laich put the puck past Toskala again, and Ovechkin scored on an empty net in the final minute to secure the win.

Game Notes

Washington forward Matt Bradley hit his head on the boards in the third period, after falling down on a missed check, and needed help from the trainers to skate off the ice...Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green each had two assists for the Caps, who play at Buffalo on Tuesday...The Leafs host Atlanta on Tuesday.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

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Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch

Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.

Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.

"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."

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