tuesday they're in gainesville to take on the gators. and then they head to orlando for the old spice classic. and then they hit the road and take on ohio state. they've got auburn, as well. >> dan: ohio state is a great match-up. and that will be a very interesting experience for the teams from both the big ten and acc. there's some really good match-ups, michigan state matching up against north carolina, duke and wisconsin, ohio state slash florida state should be a really good game. >> rich: this is the year that ten is up. but of course you never know. difficult shot. difficult until. reid has the rebound. here comes loucks. snaer in transition.

does. mercer has been forced into taking difficult shots or this they have taken difficult shots early in the clock. very hard to have an effect difference offensive game when you're taking nothing but difficult opportunities. >> rich: 8-51 is mercer. that would be a difficult opportunity. >> dan: you're absolutely right. close does not mean easy. those big florida state arms and hands swatting at the ball. >> rich: florida state with a very good half court team last year both offensively and defensively. and it looks like this year they'll an real bear in the half court, as well. >> dan: they have a lot of the same guyses. single top, alabi, gibson, reid,

inside last year. i really like this kid. i think he's got a great deal of potential. again, pairing him in a one-two punch on the inside with solomon and alabi, there may not be a can match that. >> rich: mercer turnover. in a state will get the floor. 58-30. florida state knocking on the door of the top 25. and with an impressive ball game here, maybe they sneak in. gibson and the seminoles right now rolling. ida state right now

wap loppi wall lopping the bears. our trivia question and answer, chris singleton 54 steals last

year, third all time for a freshman in school history. who holds the record if steals by solve most of. i threw out toney douglas. ward who was a sophomore, had 75 steals. >> dan: we mentioned florida state has a history of guys who have been able to steal the ball. tim picket was another one. >> rich: nice move inside. loucks in the scoring column. this the biggest lead if florida state in this ball game, a 30 point lead. a dozen minutes left. and another turnover. no look. again son fou gibson fouled and he goes to the line. may have been florence. quick time-out on the floor. south africa, an 8-year-old boy picked up the game of golf from his father.

by the age of 9, he was already outplaying him. the odds of this gentle lad winning the junior world golf championships at the age of 14? 1 in 16 million. the odds of that same boy then making it to the u.s. and european pro-golf tours? 1 in 7 million. the odds of the "big easy" winning the open championship once and the u.s. open championship twice? 1 in 780 million. the odds of this professional golfer having a child diagnosed with autism? 1 in 150. ernie els encourages you to learn the signs of autism at autismspeaks.org. early diagnosis can make a lifetime of difference.

>> dan: impressive offensive and defensive performance for the seminoles. a couple of nice moves on the inside. sick point, four blocks, three rebounds in 15 minutes for solomon. an impresenmentio immensely tal. people all across the country talking about his potential. >> rich: he's a sophomore, but he will turn 22 in march. remember his freshman year, he was injured and red shirted. had a leg injury. and was not in optimal physical shape when the season started last year. because of that leg injury, he was unable to really practice through the summer and go through all the conditioning. so last year he was not a 100%.

but still an impressive freshman year. >> dan: very impressive. one of the things that he did when he was hurt, while they would are a practice on one court, solomon being very careful with his injured leg would go on the other court and shoot. and the result is that he has developed a very nice 12 to 15-foot jump shot facing the basket and i think that's one of the reasons why people really think the sky's the limit for hirm in terms of his potential as a basketball player. >> rich: soccer player in his native nigeria. baskets when he was 15 and decided at his height that might be the game for him. good look to reid and emerson takes himself on the back of ryan reid. >> dan: alabi a soccer player and with those four blocked shots, would you say he's a

goalkeeper here? >> rich: he'd an pretty good goalkeeper. >> dan: he'd fill that up net, wouldn't he? what's the net, eight feet high? >> rich: of course the biggest impact player was also a soccer pla play. >> dan: could you have that kind of a career. >> rich: florida state coaches not only talk about alabi with his skills and his potential, but just the type of person he is. you spend just a little bit of time around him, and he lights up a room. >> dan: he's a very friendly guy, very enthusiastic young man, very intelligent young man. >> rich: loucks. right to the floor. snaer flushed it. >> dan: loucks is a very interesting i think issue for the florida state seminoles. he has not had a good start to the year. a lot of the seminoles have.

but loucks only averaging three point as game here through the early games. and doesn't quite get all the way for the basket there, but he'll go to the free-throw line. particularly as in a state faces tougher opposition, oppositions that force them 0-to-play in a pass rush, i important, not only his ball handling, but his ability to shoot the three. and he has had a very slow start this season for the seminoles. >> rich: chris singleton is back singleton is missing a triple double in this game. he's got eight points, ten rebounds, and six assists. a couple of blocked shots. >> rich: dulkys back in for florida state. mark hall in for mercer.

florence. dulkys has fouled him out beyond the strike. two more free throws for james florence. if you at the start of this season took all of the current scorers in the ncaa and got their career average, the guy at the top of the list is on the free-throw line right now. james florence among active ncaa players averaging close to 20 a game in his career. >> dan: we talked about help before the game in terms of his ability to score. but keep in mind a lot of the scoring ability possessed by james flores involving his ability to power the ball to the gall. tremendous physical strength, tremendous leaping ability, butt size of in a state has really served to negate that today.

>> rich: seminoles with the ball and in control. kitchen back in. right down the lane he goes untouched. and he scoreses. >> dan: kitchen is another guy i think that will be critical for the florida state seminoles. you don't replace a toney douglas, but you have to have guys do the types of things that douglas did, handle the ball, get the ball to the open guys at the proper times. and that's called being a point guard and that's the role that kitchen will be asked it fill. this time he drives right through the mercer bears and gets an easy one. but a lot of questions. can he play the point guard role in the acc? >> rich: another blocked short by alabi. >> dan: that is now 11 blocked shots for the seminoles and five for alabi. >> rich: four shy of the school

record for florida state team in a game. that's well within reach as we're only halfway through the second half. kitchen. time-out. 9:47 left in this ball game. leonard hamilton a 66-33 lead over a pretty good mercer team. this is a bit of a surprise that florida state has come in here and absolutely shut down mercer. bob hoffman and his ball club a good shooting team by all accounts, but this has been a nightmare of a game. >> dan: one of the reasons it's been a nightmare is the presence of the big guy inside, alabi. you were talking about him, not only his athletic skills, but his personality, the thing that's contributes off the court around florida state and his

coach is certainly somebody who is well aware of that. >> a tremendous young man. just so clean, wholesome, hard working guy who is a sponge, who wants to learn. very humble. he could run for president of the student body and probably win by a landslide, but once he questions on the court, he's extremely competitive. >> rich: he is really an enjoyable young man. and in a year or two, he'll be a wealthy young man. >> dan: kitchen has ball and kitchen's job is to get the ball to alabi at the precise moment that alabi's open and can do something with it. kitchen held on to it too long.

emerson had closed that small, small window inside and knocked the ball out of bupds. >> rich: shot clock down to five. a rare 18 footer and he drain that had. >> dan: that was the shot that he worked on when his leg was bothering him and he was out, so he spend a lot of time working on his shots facing the basket. that is a pretty impressive play. and dulkys picks up the offensive foul, was pushed on the inside, so florida state will get the ball back. a turnover against the mercer bears. >> rich: not much going right for mercer. they are 8-55 from the field. dulkys just missed. emerson first on the floor. trying to call a time-out while being tied up. possession arrow does go to florida state.

look at that. 8-55. up ahead to smith. back to emerson. and he got fouled. >> dan: perfect example. that's sort of the game in miniature. they think they have a run out, but singleton closes ground, forces help to throw the ball back to emerson. and then when emerson finally does take the shot, he's shoot against the 6'10" singleton and in that particular case he got fouled and gets the opportunity to go to the free-throw line. >> rich: daniel emerson at the line. there's been an emerson in a mercer uniform for a long time. his older brothers both will and

scott played here. >> dan: scott was one of the people in-dugted in to the mercer athletic hall of fame at halftime here at today's game and had his number retired at halftime. so big game for the emerson family. >> rich: very big honor. scott actually still playing over in france. and pierre jordan hit as bucket, his first two in the ball game. freshman out of atlanta. >> dan: jordan is maybe the team. defensive assistance. anything he can give them on offense is a bonus. >> rich: alabi calling. draw as triple-team. and he's fouled on a collapsing defense. >> dan: and what you saw is part of the development of a young big man. alabi very skilled on the inside, but part of inside play doesn't just involve forcing the ball to the basket or getting fouled. sophisticated

inside player and understanding when you're being surrounded and finding the open man. there are five white shirts around and he's still trying to force the ball to the basket. conversely, his teammates have to help him out. go get themselves in position where he can see them and find times you get a big guy like that, everybody stands around and watches. >> rich: alabi looking for his point. did assist nice soft touch for a big guy. and he's a guy that as afternoons he's going to get the ball inside, he's going to get the opportunity to go to the free-throw line a hot. >> rich: 9-10 from the free-throw line this year. kusnver finds mills. and it's florida state ball.

another turnover. 17 turnovers for mercer. this has to be agony for bob hoffman. >> dan: you're thought going to beat very many people when you can't score. >> rich: alabi and emerson. emerson tried to beat it to the and knocked alabi to the floor. emerson will pick up the foul. florida state in control. on top of mercer. ♪ ♪ tell meho's watching.

♪ i always fe like somebody's watching me. ♪ (announcer) it's right here. it's easy. ♪ i always feel like somebo's watchg me. ♪ it's the mey youould be saving th geico. announcer 1: fresh, never frozen north american beef.

>> rich: florida state has taken all the air out of homecoming here in may cin macon, georgia. the seminoles showed up and it's been downhill since.

>> dan: seminoles won't get vofted back for home coming. mercer has dug themselves a hole. they're shooting 14% in this game. i think the lepg and quickness of florida state really has presented some problems for the mercer bears. >> rich: mercer will get a chance to redeem themselves in about five or six days when they go up to atlanta and take on georgia tech. mercer would like -- if could you have one do over from last

year's season for bob hoffman, it has to be that second half late against georgia tech in this building. >> dan: i have a difficult time hamming the basketball. they built the 18 point lead and then georgia tech force some had turnovers and that started a downhill slide for mercer. they ended up having a winning season, but not this season that they hoped for after they won those first couple game, particular lit whips against and you particularly the wins against auburn and alabama. >> rich: kusnver double-teamed. struggles. singleton out front. kitchen takes the lay-up. >> dan: singleton weren't get anything for anything on that play, but me a good play. the ball was loose and he headed to the basket. he saw that kitchen was going to pick about up the ball and rather than have two florida state accept thols running to the basketball, he took off to the basket. the defense went with him. kitchen was able to pick up the wall and tribbcontribut dribble

down and lay it in. >> rich: if you look at his stats, average seven or eight rebounds a game, you won't be that impressive until you see him play because he makes plays. you talked about his basketball i.q. alabi tips to jordan. >> dan: how many times have we seen that to singleton, not gets credit for the blocked shot, but certainly bothering the shooter enough that it's difficult to make that long jumper. >> rich: single top screens for kitchen. a little pick and roll. back door cut and too strong for jordan. >> dan: that was a good idea, but he passed too far in front of jordan. nice job making the defense commit and then making the pass to the open man and it's just not a good pass. good idea, but a bad pass.

>> rich: 8-58. i cannot remember the last time he saw a college basketball game where a team shot this poorly for an entire game. i've seen bad half, but never two halves like this together. dulkys bury as three. >> dan: florida state has shown a present ability to score from the treat point line in transition. they're going to be a very difficult team to press and i'm have to get back and guard in the transition situation because they run to the three point line and knock them down. we've seen dulkys, demercy. here's what we're talking about. you just get down there, the defense is in around the basket and dulkys gets set quickly and knocks it is home. >> rich: 8-14 from beyond the arc of the seminoles. >> dan: snaer made one in transition. singleton made one in

transition. >> rich: moore hit as free throw. >> dan: you have to go back and defend the lane. they're running to the basket, so the defense has to get back there and that really creates some opportunities on the perimeter particularly in transition for the seminoles. >> rich: gibson has shown that can he get up and down the floor for a big kid, as well. reid and begin so that in the ball game and it's reid who comes down with the rebound. loucks pushes singleton. always head fake. difficult shot. and free throws coming up for singleton. who need s a couple points for double-double. and he'll get two free throws.

mercer going to their bench. david owe sh s singleton leads the break with loucks. nice look to gibson and it's singleton who found him. >> dan: singleton was in the middle of that fast break, but realized that the best play was to get the ball to his point guard loucks. there's another blocked shot. so he gives up the ball and then get it is bas it back and then gate pass. >> rich: and a foul low by gibson. singleton's been fun to watch in

this ball game. he has done a little bit of everything. and he's done it well. he's defended, he's passed well, he's scored, he's rebounded, had some blocked shots. >> dan: not a bad afternoon. >> rich: on his way out. so floor state with the lead. demercy misses with the left happened.

back done twn the floor. demercy. >> dan: they keep bringing guys off the bench that can run. >> rich: kevin smith. tough going against gibson and he got it by him. >> dan: jenkins came in in the first half and supplieded a lot of energy and the same way this half. and they just keep trying to force the ball to the goal. that's the way they want to play and to be perfectly honest, there's not really a lot of reason to change your style for this one particular game. mercer's not going to see any teams like this in the atlantic sun. good teams, jacksonville among them, favored to win the a-sun. so good basketball in the at plan tick sun about, you nobody with this combination of size and skill. >> rich: another block that one

by gibson. demercy. from reid. and jen skkins will score the lay-up. 40 point game. ball loose. swann. scores over snaer. loucks to gibson. fouled. and a time-out. 81-43, florida state in a runaway here on homecoming at runaway here on homecoming at mercer.

oh! blue! time! time out. i touched it. i touched the ball before it went out, coach. come on, alex, the ref did not call that! you gotta be kidding me, alex! it's the championship game! talk to him, coach.

i touched, it's their ball. don't foul them when they inbound. team on 'three.' one, two, three. nice going, alex. sorry coach. alex! good call. good call. girl: my name is emily, and in 7 years... i'll be an alcoholic. all: hi, emily. announcer: kids who drink before age 15 are 5 times more likely to have alcohol problems when they're adults. so start talking before they start drinking. >> rich: time for our play of the game. you knew it would involve chris single top. this dish. seven assists for singleton. 14 rebounds. nine points. two blocks. and two steals.

gibson has eight points. gibson is at the line. >> dan: where he is 0-4 today. >> dan: i think once again he has seen that his team can play very effectively in transition and that he's going to be very pleased with the defensive guys displayed today. but i'm in the sure that he made himself feel any better about his team's ability to play in >> rich: loucks with the steal. length of the floor. gibson. nice catch.

>> rich: there are some really strange stats that will come out of this basketball game. mercer from the field is 11-76. that's 17%. like you said, mercer has 25 offensive rebounds. slicing move inside. and count it. >> dan: goal tending. so smith get as shot at a three point play. moreau in the ball game if

florida state. and smith the freshman out of dublin, georgia. be interesting it watch on on tuesday night, they'll take on florida. and then on to orlando for the old spice classic. snaer. shot clk expires. out in front it's walker who missed but the follow would i chris smith. >> dan: and there's another offensive rebound according to the statisticians here, 22 of the 47 points scored by the

mercer bears have come as a result of those offensive rebounds. so the offensive rebounding, the best part of the attack today for the mercer bears. >> rich: our wendy's fast break play of the game. a lot to choose from from florida state. this one the kitchen steal and lay-up. >> dan: flof rens runs right by kitchen and able to get to the door. we talked about kitchen earlier. does he have the ability to be able to handle the point guard duti duties. remember, they played so many cle games. they won ms of them last year. how many close games were decided last year because of good decisions by point guard toney douglas? not just the plays that he made, the shots that he made, but the

decisions that he made. so really a lot on the shoulders of kitchen and loucks who will try to fill that point guard role. >> rich: they played 14 games that were decided by four points or less and they were an astounding 11-3 in those 14 games. and when i asked leonard hamilton where are you going to miss douglas, on the offensive or defensive end, he said we'll miss him in the last minute of the game. on wboth ends. >> dan: certainly they haven't played any games yet where they needed anybody in the last minute of the game, but those

>> rich: they're creeping up on the top 25. the others receiving votes near the top of that column, if you 28 in the ap poll. moreau on the wing and instead it's jordan who takes it in and finishes. a pleasant experience for mercer. to be pretty happy. >> dan: a tremendous defensive effort against a pretty good >> rich: florida state is now 3-0. the mercer bears fall to 3-2. florida state on the road against florida on tuesday. up to georgia tech goes mercer. impressive florida state comes

in here and waxes mercer. our next telecast, gardner-webb number 6, north carolina, monday at 7:30. check your local

hello, everyone. glad to have you with us. we'll get you ready for tomorrow's show down in big d. first, we'll saddle up talking about college football starting in tallahassee. the terps looking for the upset against florida state. and mickey andrews coaching in his last game. picking up late in the second quarter, florida state 14-6. 'noles at the terps 17. and picked off. he returns it 82 yards to the fsu 7. four plays later on a fourth and goal, david magnet punchs it in. 14-13 'noles at the half. an emotional ralph friedgen. >> i'm so happy for these kids. we have to finish this thing. i'm hoping that we can do this. we play hard every game. we have to find a way to win one of these. it's so important to us. >> fourth quarter, jamal

robinson to adrian cannon to takes it in for the touchdown. the two-point conversion no good. terps on top, 19-14. the trps go to make it again. maryland by 4. over 30 seconds left to play. second and goal for florida state and prior takes it in for the go-ahead touch down. fsu holds on to win it 29-26 and andrews goes out with a win in his final game. senior day at virginia tech. 31 seniors gearing up for their last day host. up the middle, hokie lead 10-0. nc state answers. russell wilson looking and he zeros in on owens who makes the touchdown grab. williams slams his way in the end zone for a one-yard

touchdown. hokie on top 24-10 at the break. more virginia tech. first possession, second half, williams, just a beast, dragging a defendser over the goal line and in. take one more look as williams just, bruit force getting into the end zone. hokie up big, 31-10. still in the third, virginia tech going to the air. rolling out, sets up, point kin. virginia tech wins it 38-10. more a.c.c. virginia down in death valley to take on clemson. al groh possibly with his last season with the safl list with only three wins this season. clemson recovers the fumble. two minutes left in the first half. and three plays after another, uva fumbles, kyle parker, a 24-

yard touchdown pass to jack by ford. clemson on top. cavaliers hang tough. jamil sewell. uva down only 3. first and goal for the cavaliers at the cavaliers high. the hoos lose their fourth in a row. virginia basketball team moves to 3-1 with a win over oral roberts. georgetown play as road game at savannah state but that's no problem for the 19th ranked hoyas. and gw moves ahead with a 43- point blowout. there are no easy wins in

the national hockey league after the loss against the habs. now for more on what to expect, here are the machine calling the action >> joe: jenks, thank you very much. the old adage is you never get a second chance to make a first impression. >> craig: consider this kid, 19 years of anal, age -- 30 years of aiming -- 30 years of age, very solid with the puck. i thought john carlson was more physical than i thought he would be. he had a high panic threshold. he had good outlet, smart plays at the center stripe, even rang one off the pipe for the caps. a very solid outing for the caps >> joe: there is a trend developing in the nhl, another

getting younger at the blue line >> craig: carlson the youngest to suit up for the caps in their history on the blue line. they are filling big myths for their respective teams >> joe: stay with us for this one now. the caps lose tom poti on d which means that tyler sloan moves back to d which means andrew gordon is in >> craig: which means trains, planes and automobiles for him coming from bingham ton. second nhl game, fourth overall in nhl point, second in hershey with 20 points in 18 games. more o coming from hershey and the bears >> joe: varlvarlamov end the win against the leafs last time. now he is in the net again. joe b breaks down every game from his view in the play

by play booth. go to csnwashington.com. for dallas week, things have been pretty tame. mike sellers called the cowboys the cow girls but that's about it. tomorrow marks the 99th victim between washington and dallas. the redskins won the last game in the old texas stadium. how will they fare in the new cowboy stadium. kelly johnson has more >> joe: as rivalry goes, it does not get any better than the cowboys and redskins. >> you know, i've been playing for them so long, you hate them, period. if you can't get up for this game, you can't get up for any game. >> this is smash mouth football. it means a lot to the fans down here and the fans down here. what really drives us is the fans i think it's healthy,

having a rivalry like that. and i think we're just going to get ready to play, you know. that's all. i don't have, you know -- i don't have any hate mail to send. >> the cowboys have weapons galore from austin to whitten and the three-headed running attack in between. but it's tony romo that gets the dallas offense going. >> we have to get romo down. he is the guy who is squirming around all the time, you know, making guys miss and pump faking. he is the guy we have to bring do down because he is the key. you know, he pumps, looks you off. he has different weapons to throw to. i think he wants -- i say he is one of a laid back coolest quarterbacks there is. >> you see team get pressure on him, he ducks out of it, backs

out of, it gets a playoff and turns it into a 50-yard gain. it's important, even if we will feel like the party is over, just play it through the down >> joe: fort second straight week, the redskins face a 3-4 defense. the make shift redskins did a good job offense. >> one thing we can't do is worry about everything going on around us. you have to move in the pocket to make plays, that's what i do. if they give me a pocket like they did last week, you get a chance to go through your progression, that's great, too. >> it benefits us going through, it you know. you have did he marcus ware over there. that's a little different, they play a lot harder. we had a week to get used to the 3-4. it's coming off a bye week. >> thanks to that concussion in the atlanta game, clinton portis will miss a second

contest, leaving ledell betts to carry the load. but having back-to-back 100- yard games will not come easy against the cowboys. they have not allowed a 100- yard rusher this season. >> thank you, kelly. you can see part 2 of kelly's in depth interview tomorrow. >> get an all access tour of the cowboys new stadium and kelly will have the latest pre- game news in a live report from the field. still to come, he was supposed to calling it quit on friday but now, he is not so friday but now, he is not so sure. pothole:h no...your tire's all flat and junk.

oh, did i do that? here, let me get my cellular out - call ya a wrecker. ...oh shoot...i got no phone ...cuz i'm a pothole...so....k, bye! anncr: accidents are bad. anncr: but geico's good. with emergency road service. ding!

. under of minutes to play, richmond looking to take the lead. eric ward's throw picked off by simons. could the offense convert? in a word, no. the 52-yard field goal is no good. the game is still tied at 10. 23 seconds to play. william and mary trying to move into field goal position and, this time, are archer picked up himself. so richmond in business. that sets the 48-yard field goal. richmond with the victory, 13- 10. villanova looking to win the caa outright hosting

delaware. the quarterback whitney runs the ball and nine yards later, the touchdown. the wildcats lead 10-0. wildcats at the 14. wildcats run the wild cat. matt caesar. villanova wins its first caa title since 2001, 30-12 the final. >> if you want to catch pro hoops, we, of course, have you covered. wizards head to san antonio to take on the spurs without manu ginobili. you can see it on comcast sportsnet. on friday, ben olson had reportedly made his mind, retiring after seven stellar seasons with the black and red. but he is not quite sure. i heard from olson who says he is still weighing his options. he is still a very effective player. he has been bothered by injuries over the past couple of seasons. caps are in first place in

the eastern conference. alex ovechkin and company head to toronto. that's a game you will see here on comcast sportsnet plus in just minutes. keep it here.

they say everything is big another texas. nowhere is that more apparent than the cowboys' new stadium. i'm kelly johnson. coming up on redskins kickoff, we'll take you on a tour of the new $1.15 billion palace that jerry built. >> my goodness. you don't want to miss all that access pass to the cowboys' new stadium. be sure you tune in tomorrow.

wcat championship in atlanta. zach daniel to west brown, no problem getting across the goal line. de matha. daniel stand to lat her in the back of the end zone. tied at 7 at the break. to the 4th, daniel, rolling out, looking to the corner. a 20-yard strike to lewis young. falcons on top by 7. last chance for the stags now. fourth down, looking, looking, and he is sacked by troy gloucester and the streak is over. good counsel is your championship winning it 14-7. back to hockey. while the husbands are hard at work, so, too, are the capitals' wives. they went shopping for the 63 children they adopted for the salvation army. they had filled up 40 shops carts and five suvs.

>> it really teaches you like how far your money can go if you are willing to put in a little time and effort how happy you can make some kid and how simple it is and that we don't need so much material stuff our selfs. >> i know how excited kids who don't get friend all the time or don't get a bike for christmas feel when they get a bike and all the things that they wish for. because most kids when they go to see santa, they wish for a bike and nintendo and they don't get those things. it's awesome to give these kids the things that they deserve. >> the salvation army will deliver the goods just in time for christmas. by the time they are done, they will have spent $25,000. great work. that's it for us during geico sports night. you can always log on to our website, csnwashington.com. enjoy the game, everybody.

ovechkin. anything but -- the canadiens and caps were anything but peaceful. top shelf performance in the first go round. caps hockey over and out on comcast sportsnet.

this building will be buzzing. the capitals have crossed into canada for a hockey night excursion with the maple leaves who don't seem to be going any places. look who is on tv. have you checked the schedule lately? your favorite hockey team has a ton of travel ahead and, locker, so far so good >> craig: they have been pretty good. away from verizon, including in that, 6 ws for this caps team. they have been very good in october, mediocre in november, scoring a ton. they better have their suitcased packed. >> joe: we asked for mike green for his recipe on how to win away from the home. >> i think our hockey club is keeping it simple. any time we can get the puck deep and behind theirdefensemen, we are usually successful.

when we try to dipsy doo at the blue line, we get in trouble. we have been pretty good but if we put it together, we can be pretty good over the next month. just about all of them have been injured this season, several of whom will missed night. >> morrissonn, tom poti out for the caps. the caps' team over all, over 70 man games lost on the season. the back liners have been nixed up. >> joe: the caps slide sloan back for poti. >> joe: john carlson received his phone call mid-week and his debut was a physical one. >> craig: i like that i didn't think we would see that with his mom in the stand. john carlson delivered an excellent effort for a 19-year- old. he used his size to his

advantage. he was using his size because he was right in the other team's face, the montreal canadiens. he rang one off the pipe. over all, in 17 1/2 minutes, what a debut for a kid that's only 19 >> joe: looking at the forwards for a moment, the caps have been very pleased with brenden morrissonn. he has regained his stride >> craig: he has. a lot of things have been going on since they re-signed him. his knee has been healed. he has played great hock see. he is tied for second best on the team. he has been very nifty with the puck, include that go marker last night against the habs >> joe: 17 points so soon looks good for washington >> craig: fourth best start of his career. best was '05 '06.

brendan has been a stabilizing influence on the washington capitals' power play in the month of november. he is not hasty with the puck and that special team's unit has benefited. >> he has been very solid back there. what i like about the caps' power play right now is they spread the wealth around. last night, they failed to score on the power play for this the first time in 7 games. the caps' power play at fifth best operating at just under 25%. they have a power play goal in 10 of the last 12. their last seven games simply sizzling. 8 of 20 with a ton of different guys involved in the offense. >> the maple leafs provide the opposition tonight. while they were hoping that sweeping change to their roster would turn their fortunes, the results have been slow to come. >> they were supposed to be bigger and better and it's only been the ladder here for toronto. one win at home worse than the nhl. 12 points put them in the basement. they allowed a ton of goals.

the pk is killing them, joe. >> bigger, better, only been the latter. phil cassell have been -- phil kegs sell has been brought in to provide some fire power and he has. >> a ton of speed up front. >> he has a wicked release off the rush. phil kessell will be a scoring threat of note for the leafs. we are looking forward to spending time with about 19,000 crazy fans here.

honey... the credit fairy... doesn't exist. what? it's make-believe. nobody left anything under your pillow. if there's no credit fairy then who will make our credit score go up? we will. by doing things like paying our bills on time. announcer: there's no magic to improving your credit. but there's help and it's free. go to creditfairy.org what? and what did she say? she said whatever.

net star one navigating the business of government and industry. there is always something special about a saturday night in toronto when it's hockey night in canada as the washington capitals are getting set for the fourth meeting

between themselves and the maple leafs. with the faceoff delayed by a few moments. we're going to bring in al koken and alan may. the first two month have gone by in a blink. how would you describe it? >> alan: it's been good, but it's not great. all game, never let teams come back, i think the season will be great >> al: i think you can an base it on the last two games as a great barometer. they have given you a real tease in the first quarter this season. when they stick to the game plan, when they are did i palestineed, do the things that bruce boudreau wants them to do like they did tuesday night in new york, they can be among the best in the nhl. when they get away from it, despite the injuries and the slow start last night, that

dooms them. when they don't play that 60- minute game like they did last night, they can get themselves in unneeded trouble. >> gentlemen, let's take a big picture look at the first two months and break out your red pen. locker, let's start with the washington capitals on offense >> craig: that's an a, joe. not just a for alex ovechkin but a because they press so well offensively. only san jose has more goals than this caps bunch. after that, it's balance, four guys with 20 plus points >> joe: i give them high marks because they score early and late. i like the fact that they have been with the league leader all season long, especially in the first and third period. the game is not all about offense. let's break down the d in the first two months >> craig: not as good when it comes to grading the defense. they have been porous, have allowed way too much goals. i give them a c plus. 9 times, they have allowed four

or more goals. not stingy enough. and the key, they have to play tougher in front of the goaly >> joe: we are talking about team defense here, not just the blue liners. i go b minus because they have been erratic, inconsistent and the best defensive game was a season opening game in boston. since then, collectively, they just have not been as good. now we get to the goal tenders and i know that you and i are going to have diverging opinions here >> craig: i'm a tough grader, aren't i? >> joe: yes, you are >> craig: c plus for me. save percentage, team weighed, under 90. 22nd in the nhl. if i had watched this video before,i would have gave them an a plus. that's not the way they have played on a consistent basis >> joe: i know they can be better. i know the doubters of the washington capitals say that the weakness is in the crease. i'm a big fan of this man,

varlamov >> craig: put your union card back in your pocket >> joe: i know. a b is a b >> alan: i guess we were confused because we didn't see we would see laughlin's grade. do we agree with our esteemed colleagues? how are you seeing this beginning with the capitals' fence? >> alan: i'm glad that locker was not my teacher growing up, ever. the offense, the forwards get a b plus. i think the reason is that they have been inconsistent. we didn't have any scoring from the third and fourth line at the start of the season. defense, i think that's a b. they have played well throughout the season but they really started to add to the offensive game and the letdown is because the forwards have not helped out. the goal tenders, i think that's a b. the team is in first place in the eastern conference and you can't get results without good goal

tending. they have let a few soft ones in, but i think guys below them had more is it >> al: we didn't have to catch an 8:00 a.m. flight to toronto. i give them an a minus on offense. i don't think they have third line going there. i'm giving the defense a little bit more of a break along with the goal tending and i'm going to combine this because i think the forwards, more than anyone have been guilty of making very bad turnovers and bad decisions that has cost them some penalties and i think it's put the defense and goal tending in a little extra pressure. i'm blaming the forward for putting the open just on the d and the goaly. i'm giving them both a b. now, let's talk about the most pleasant surprise for this season. who is it for you? >> craig: >> alan: i'm going to start on the back side with tom poti. he is a guy who does not get

enoughing a late. i really think he is a steadic influence back there and, last night, prior to getting injured, they had him paired up with carlson. that's a vote of confidence to show that that's the guy you want to play with your incoming rookie. i think he has been solid into into my surprise has been brendan morrissonn. not because he has not been a good player because he is there. but because of the injuries. i didn't think he would get back to the high level as quickly and he has been a revelation on the power play. not only did the caps survive on the power play without ovechkin but with brendan morrissonn, they have thrived and they have continued to did so. let's get back to the canada enter. your surprise? >> joe: i think i know where locker is going >> craig: i think i had a tomb bone. you know what i'm talking about. fleischmann. he has been awesome.

7 goals, he comes back and he just picked off where he left off. thomas fleischmann the big surprise up front. this guy can get 30 goals >> joe: very surprising. he missed the first 10 games. in the last couple of week, i think matthew perreault has opened some highs with his abilities. for those of you who may be wondering, we are delayed, our faceoff delayed just a few moments. it's just one of those homecoming saturday night for the drop toe map maple leafls' -- maple leafs past legends. what is it for to you get done for washington to be the team we all hope they can be? >> alan: they have to sort out their goaly situation. they had a three-headed goaly situation last night. not the case tonight. they have to determine who is

the man. if it's the guys in the system, if it's guys on the team, someone has to take the bull by the horns or they have to look elsewhere to decide who the number 1 man is. >> take the bull by the corn. you took my answer there with the goaly situation. i will go to plan b and say they've got to be more healthy in the second half of the season. i think that's going to be easy for them. they have been so padly banged up. al and alan, how about you guys in the studio? what needs to be done for d.c >> you took my answer in saying staying healthy. i think the team is only as good as their best defenseman. the continued great of mike green is going to be the key to the caps playing, having a solid finish and a great ending with the stanley cup championship. i think it rests on mike green into into thankfully, nobody stole mine. to me that's the the resolution of the michael nylander contract. that's a chunk of money that could be available to george

mcfee if they can get him situated somewhere else and get all that cap room. that could allow george mcfee to make the type of deal at that could turn this team into a stanley cup contender, which they obviously are to be one of the favorites to win it. i'm glad you didn't take mine >> joe: atta boy. we are getting closer and closer. legends of the game here. we are getting ready for saturday night fun. stay right there as the caps and leafs on comcast sportsnet. ♪ love wounds... - announcer: before you ever love it... - ( tires screech ) ...the nissan altima goes through over 5,000 tests. no wonder j.d. power and associates... - ♪ ooh, love hurts - ...ranked it highest in initial quality. the new nissan altima. quality you can love.

♪ ooh, love hurts.

and what did she say? she said whatever.

caps drowned toronto earlier in the year, in fact the home opener for alex ovechkin and friends. it went 6-4 washington's way. >> they had a good lead in that game. they dominated earlier. it was 6-1 at one point. the one thing about this leafs' team, they have plenty of way to come back. the caps have to get up and never look back >> joe: simeon varlamov and

toskala in chance. >> craig: varlamov has good numbers. closure eyes, leafs fans. he has yet to get a win. this is where the leafs are in last place >> joe: leafs wearing their alternate jersey so the caps are in their road white. ron wilson had said some nice things about toskala i thai. was earlier in the season, but what about after last night. he did not have a good light. green with the long wrister, went wide of a screened

toskala. green last the rebound and away come the caps as ovechkin was flattened by finger. laich looking for a trailer i one thing that varlamov should be aware of is this is a team that likes to pepper the goal. >> joe: this is andrew gordon, set by fleischmann. gordon returned to the nhl today. played in an american hockey league. it's been planes, trains and automobiles for him >> craig: hershey won their fifth in a row. andrew gordon has one plus one, he now has 20 point in 18 games in the american hockey league. pretty impressive all across the board, now trying to make his mark in his second nhl game >> joe: it would be darn near

impossible for the caps to improve upon the excitement of his first nhl game. his first big league game was at madison square garden and it was a game where the caps rallied from 4-0 down >> craig: it was the game where monarchos scored in overtime >> joe: monarchos on the injured list, one of four for the guys. this is washington and throw on comcast sportsnet. thomas fleischmann saw his nine- game scoring point streak snapped in that loss to montreal last night. meanwhile, this toronto team has struggled mightily under neat this roof. >> this is the 10th game in toronto and they won just one coming in, not the type of numbers you would expect. this should be a home ice advantage. has not worked out this way for the guys in white tonight.

mitchell, turning wide, sends it on through, defending by the rookie john carlson making his second nhl aexperience. matthew perreault cut off by thomas kaberle. >> craig: we have two of the highest scoring defensemen here, mike between for the caps and kaberle. >> reporter: how did you rate john carlson last night? >> craig: a, absolutely >> joe: the wrister, stopped by varlamov and he tried to squeeze the rebound and tumbled into the corp >> craig: even though alan may thought i was a tough grader >> joe: he would not want you to be his teacher >> craig: no, but i'm giving him an a >> joe: beagle, the drag and it's gobbled up by toskala. with some pushing and shoving and unfriendliness in front. we can unveil the four keys of

the game. for bruce boudreau's team, they have to work this leafs defense, especially in the top of the circle and down in front because they have to defendtogether, they have to have a five-defensive crew. they have to dump the puck in and out and they have to finish their chances. this is a team that ronnie is coaching that they get tons of chans but they have not been finishing. some guys have to step up if they're going to beat the caps tonight. >> wilson, the former washington bench boss now pushing the buttons in toronto. green sends this one on through mat bradley. toskala sends it around to the youngster who just turned 20. luke schenn. even and full strength, we move, after 3 1/2 minute into a

scoreless opening period. you watch the forecheck for the maple leafs intensify. in transition, a long rocket and varlamov had to let it go. kessel wearing 81 in the white. did not play in the first meeting between these two. he was still on the shelf with that shoulder injury >> craig: that was a big deal that they pulled off, a couple of first rounders in he can change for the bruins. he delivered big time since being here. on the leaf for ovechkin, ahead of the play, offside. locker, just a few moment ago, hockey puck can do some strange things on its way to the net >> craig: here, it's coming at you. look at stajan. here he is. look at that that had everything on it. a lot of mustard, a lot of

bouncing. it might have hit something about it. varli, impressive the last three games, impressive. with numbers like that, how are you going to lose. >> that's a good sign for varlamov to stay with such a strange bounce. you know he is locked in >> craig: that's concentration. you are always worried about young goals losing concentration. that can set him up for an excellent night here in drop toe >> joe: i thought it was nice to hear bruce boudreau talk about artus irbe, the caps' goaly coach, relationship with varlamov. >> craig: it's almost like a fatherly relationship. gored ton trying to fight through some issues.

thee -- varly will be the guy. he is counting on the next games to play. >> maple leafs deliberately out of their own zone. andrew gordon pouncing on this one. boyd gordon out of the line up for washington. shaone monarchos, we have addressed, tom poti, last night. offsigh, just crept out to the neutral zone beforers kin brought it back in. toronto under the direction of general manager brian burke. he has a very interesting chore ahead >> craig: i would like this to be my last job in hockey. i just hope it's not the next month or two. that was mid-november there is a lot of pressure on burke there is a lot of pressure on wilson and the coaching staff. bottom dwelling. in toronto, they are not going to stand for it. the fans will let them know. this' heckle -- they'll heckle

the players, the team. the writers. they will not stand for it. >> reporter: this is alpha and omega in the eastern conference. leafs at 3-11-6. mitchell tosses one back behind the net and wind up getting it himself. delayed penalty called coming up against the capitals. toskala on his way to the bench. wrister deflected wide. the caps go short handed >> craig: it's going to be an interference call, called by bill mccreary. the leafs' power play, something that's been powerful and a positive for ronnie wilson's team, that's been an aset for them this year, joe. percentage wise, they are above the caps at around 25%, 20 of 80 on the power play. the interference right there because the puck had already

went past kulemin. throws to the slot, and how he missed, it i'll never know. it was right there for number 21 as the maple leafs regroup. stajan drops it off for kaberle. a boat load of power play assists for this guy. he loop it is ahead, too far for step yak who tallied in the first meeting between the two clubs. >> craig: you see the good and bad of kaberle. he gives one away, but he creates so much, you have to live and die by his high risk play. they want kaberle to be better with the puck and better defensively. the big miss moments ago as that guy, right in the center of the screen, kessel, phil the thrill, right on the doorstep. left side post, watch him come

in. good little pass by stajan and that caught him not in the wheel house and he just shanked it off the side of the net. >> joe: numbers since joining the main leafs after the shoald -- the maple leafs, the shoulder has been very goods. brooks laich is going to be excused. matt bradley wins the draw, doing a little bit of everything for the washington capitals >> craig: i have not been in this building for are while but it may be the quietest we have' been since we've been hear >> joe: i'm glad you said it because it's been did he have eningly silent >> craig: yes, so far. >> reporter: kessel can flat out fly down the wing. blocked away by bad lee. it creeps over top in that safety netting. the faceoff comes outside the zone. it deflected off a maple leafs

>> craig: still some time left in the power play, 50 seconds. jeff rating offense from the point, the big question tonight, with poti, morrissonn out, that's about 55 minute of work on the back line. i mean poti is offer 21 regularly. someone has to fill that void. it has to be brian pothier. he could be up and over 20 minute tonight >> joe: gunnarsson at the point for toronto, 36 in the white. grabovski looking for blake. right there with him was -- good retoys, here is hagman, fire, the shoulder save. hagman, vying for the team lead in power play. pad save, two for varlamov

there as he beats grabovski and fleischer send it all the way down. washington back at full strength. this will be an icing call. simeon varlamov very strong the first few minute. and playing without his mates >> craig: you can see them here, 70 man hours lost. in the opening night roster for the caps, not in the line-up tonight for bruce boudreau >> joe: alex semin would have been licking his chop for this one. he had a goal and a couple of assists in the washington home opener. kulemin wide of varlamov. washington back to full and even strength. white, a little late there, bumped by ovechkin. bruce boudreau called alex ovechkin out on the carpet and says en wants more from the big

guy this season >> craig: he called him out and said he didn't play up to his potential last night like he has been. look for ovechkin who has him on the leash. >> joe: boudreau says, i hardly do that but when i do, alex tends to hear it and responds >> craig: he struckled all game long last night >> joe: brooks laich angling in. no score in this one on comcast sport net. joe benaniti with craig laughlin. right opt angle. >> craig: i think irbe is going to love that save. he was very square. >> reporter: locker references artus irbe. we'll have a feature on the caps' goaly coach between periods tonight. sloan with the shoulder hit

from orr. ovechkin trying on gunnarsson for save, to eric fehr, fehr, looping in, fires, stick save and no rebound from toskala. we played 9:34. still looking for the first red light. for the guys in red.

you are at the mid-way washing of this opening period. green with nine point in the last nine games. ahead, goes arye >> craig: that's what happens, you miss a game without scoring a power play and now you are shuffled to the second unit. the caps had gone stretch straight until last night shoring at least one power play >> joe: maple leafs dead last in terms of penalty killing. they were that way last year when they turn serred more

goals that any team in the league >> craig: this is a team that takes way too many penalty if you are such a bad tempt killing club >> joe: capitals starting lollygagging through the first few seconds of the power play now they are starting to get into gear i they were lackadaisical last night. that's what in part did them in until fehr opened the store and then montreal turned the tables >> craig: they just don't have that nrj that we are used to seeing early on in games when they can often put teams away. they have to generate that, hopefully on this power play. perreault and he, too, is stone walled. stempniak doing the honors >> craig: you better look for the plays there, rather than looking for the home run swing or home run pass. you have to get it in >> joe: offside against washington. it gives us some time to spell out a washington caps fact compliments of american service center and it regards the great

8 >> craig: alex ovechkin did not score last night. that's only the fourth night he has been held scoreless this season. he has not been held without a point consecutive games since march 62009. it's about 55 games, isn't it? >> joe: washington capitals are not going to be using injuries as an excuse any time soon but the guys they are really make their offense click at time. you can see some of those results without those people in the line-up and how much better this washington team would be if they were at full strong. >> brian pothier settles it on the outside. long slap coming. beauchemin gets a second chance, he will accepted washington packing >> craig: if you look at the plus and minus, that's probably a lot of reasons.

he is minus 9, worst in the leafs' team. >> reporter: played it around for finger. kessel explodes lieu center, centers, slams. varlamov was ready. stajan still digging for it. bradley gets it out with the help of jay beagle. >> not many players in the nhl that's hard working like kessel. he made sure that he was inside his spot, working kessel for the outside. >> reporter: geez not the biggest of forwards as varlamov makes the blocker save but he can turn and been. look at this guy, grabovski. scoreless fir period. grabovski with the high slot where beagle was on patrol. jay beagle at the end of his line shift will dump in it. he did it from behind the red line. >> reporter: those are little

details of the game. beagle has to get that line instead of forcing this icing call >> joe: caps fans in virginia, listen up. drive in style with a caps virginia license plate. december 31, establish the caps rice epps plate. for more, log on to washington caps.com. mikhail graph ski being excused from the faceoff dot. nick lals hagman trying his hand at it. stopped by varlamov. penalty call coming in here. could very well be against the maple leafs for goaly interference. 7:07 to go in the first as the leafls fans are booing. they are short handed.

>> joe: jason blake gets the gate for goalyinterference. that's not a popular call >> craig: i'm not sure it is with me. jason blake is actually pushed by a caps defender into the goal tender. for me, that's a bad call. the caps will still go to the power play. i'm all for protecting a defend are but let's not take away from guys like blake. not a call i would have made >> joe: washington power play, 40% the last 7 games.

brooks laich leads this pun bunch with five power play markers. backstrom in for fleischer. fleischer on the give and go interchange, stepping through the goal mouth. backstrom is so good at making that pass in traffic t toskala, can't find the rebound and he dives giaccomo to cover with ovechkin looking for the tap-in >> craig: that was trite lace, right time for toskala. he relies on his athleticism. just a nice wrist shot, deflection like and look at ovi coming in. had he a lot of room there in that empty neat but he just jammed the back hand right back into the body of toskala. goods save, nicely done by vesa. >> reporter: mike green comes over to coral. lee develop yak left a calling card on him. 1:20 to go.

6 :25 to go in the period. around the wall, stempniak keeps it moving. the capitals will reorganize. fleischer takes that pass in stride, looking for green, tides up by stajan. ovechkin, fleischer, one more for laich. green walletsing with it. backstrom, through the seam one time, blocked there as ovechkin loaded it up. stajan, up for it and he will back hand it all the way down. >> craig: and finger might have shanked it because he snapped his stick because he went to wrap it around the wall. great chances for ovie here in the first in toronto. >> joe: green lobs it into the corner. hagman-the-first man there. to the doorstep. he makes the save on fehr. as washington amps up the shots on goal, now level at 9 apiece. 5 minute and change away from

net star one intermention live are we on comcast sport net. the great 8 into the offensive zone. nimble move. ovechkin inside for fehr, lets it go, knocked down by finger, played clear by ian white. on target to hagman. one on one. hagman looking for blake who is just out of the box. the pass is behind him. chris clark scampers through center. it's the brakes, uses the boards to get it to morrissonn. cut off by kaberle. hagman off the window. luke shen rumbling back through center. kessel is next in line. on the delay. off the rush. denied by varlamov >> craig: real niles attack by the leafs, started by the pointmen, jumping into the play. kaberle is so quick getting into the play, so quick at closing the gap. you think about closing the gap defensively, you have to do it

offensively >> joe: both goalies seem to be on their best behavior on this one. erskin for david steckel on through to andrew gordon. gordon hustled in from the american hockey league after the caps lose tom poti to injury last night. >> you always can't have enough defenseman and that's why the caps are blessed in the organization, from hershey to north carolina and on up, they have guys that come on up >> joe: every day, tyler sloan becomes more and more like ken klee. slash. nobody there in a white sweater. andrew gordon poms one back to center ice. 3:34 to go in the opening period. hagman crunched by carlson. john carlson got almost 18 minutes in his nhl debut last night >> craig: started off with a

buck 45. that helped his total >> joe: laich, hagman missed it. another lay up inside. what a beautiful pass by ian white. i thought it was hagman. al koken was interviewing that 19-year-old. he said i don't think that first shift was ever going to end. you know if you are in there for 1:45, you know you are in trouble. you know the average shift is 45 to 1:50. that's what the coaches like to see. family -- ovechkin scores. in pinpoint passing. that is pretty. and you can just see ovie the chances he was getting tonight compared to last night under the stifling defense of the montreal canadiens. a ton of people in red here in ton throw. this guy is an icon in canada. they love ovechkin. what are you going to do as a

goaly. he needed 6-foot legs and toskala does not have them. he tried to get there with his leg. opening up, he gets the stick on the ice. just setting up for the pass. you wonder why the guy scores so many goals. great job all around. tick tack and toe. >> green made a splendid pass to ovechkin and green wanted to put a good show tonight north of the border. 2 1/2 to go first period, washington on top by 1. mitchell cut free, fires that one off pothier. matthew perreault comes to his aid. >> craig: green now 16 straight with a point. and we have been harping on, it the caps again score the first goal but that was probably to be because this drop toe maple leafs team -- this toronto maple leafs team did rarely

score a goal. >> they did when they were involved in a real crazy scheme. >> that was the most important one. >> 6-5, carolina comes back after a 3-0 deficit. they said, hey, you have to have a short memory and you have to come to play against the caps team he looks at that as one of the top teams in the nhl. >> ian white said they are as big a challenge as you will find in the earn conference. washington staked to a 1-0 advantage. alex ovechkin on the board. brendan morrissonn against beauchemin who wins the race >> craig: the game of hockey is all about passing. morrissonn, guys like gordon coming up, the caps play at a high tempo and you have to move the puck. gordon an excellent start in the american hockey league this season. he has proven that's goal scorer and a point producer and it shows you the depth of this organization. they can bring guys up and what

i like about boudreau and his philosophy, he does not sit them at the end of the bench. he plays guys when they are called up. a lot of teams don't do that. >> joe: doesn't that go back to his own playing days, the weighed he was treated? >> craig: yes, indeed >> joe: former maple leafs in his on right, bruce boudreau behind the washington bench. 1 minute to play in the opening frame. mikhail grabovski with blake. blake fires. varlamov will cover. a chance for us to step away as, once again, the guys get introduced in front. washing phone has the lead. the game's leading goal scorer doing the trick.

boss: y'know, geico opened its doors back in 1936 and now we're insuring over 18 million drivers. gecko: quite impressive, yeah. boss: come a long way, that's for sure. and so have you since you started working here way back when. gecko: ah, i still have nightmares. anncr: geico. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. and not what you get? like electricity, for gadget power at your seat. room to stretch your legs... and your wingspan. food when you're hungry... and taking off your shoes only if you feel like it.

these aren't luxuries, they're basics. get them back on acela. amtrak guest rewards members earn double points this fall for any trip on amtrak. details at amtrak.com alex ovechkin and mike green, 1- 0, d.c. >> craig: what a nice three-way passing. mike green to alex ovechkin. it doesn't get prettier than that. mike green extended his streak to 16. thornton at the top, had a four- point night, all assists against philadelphia last night. >> joe: big day around the nhl. a dozen other games going on today and tonight. saturday north of the border,

it's hockey night here in canada as kaberle crosses over with gunnarsson. hagman on through for blake. david steckel has it for washington with 35 seconds to operate >> craig: one final earlier today. calgary down the l.a. kings, joe. there was a hat trick >> joe: green to erskin. kaberle keeps the puck along the board. david steckel chase it is down. shoulder to shoulder with kaberle, brad lee activates to the creek. ian white pounces on this. 6 seconds to go on this one. >> craig: i think that caught keith acton, joe, behind the bench >> joe: this is a toronto team put into a 1-0 hole by alex

ovechkin >> craig: you look at that bottom stat, i said the caps score regular already lay the first goal of the game, the leafs just three times and they'll stay at that. >> reporter: one period of play complete at air canada center. a building alex ovechkin just loves. and for good reasons. at 17:11, he tallies from green and laich. after 20 minute, washington is the front runner. net star one intermission live is coming up. the special feature on the red clads believers, the caps fans in the d.c. area. highlights and stats also on the way. craig laughlin will break out the telestrator, all that and more coming up in a the next few moment. after 20 minutes, washington has the advantage. varlamov has done the rest in goal. we carry on with net star one intermission live. ( "love hurts" by nazareth playing )

♪ love hurts ♪ love scars

♪ love wounds... - announcer: before you ever love it... - ( tires screech ) ...the nissan altima goes through over 5,000 tests. no wonder j.d. power and associates... - ♪ ooh, love hurts - ...ranked it highest in initial quality. the new nissan altima. quality you can love. ♪ ooh, love hurts. alex ovechkin has a way of making vesa toskala's life miserable. he did it again beating the net minder in the 18th minute of the first period. washington plays in front of a raw cuss house at verizon

center. for this feature, we give thanks to the fans as the caps on the ice give props to the fans in the stands. >> i think we have some of the best fans in the league. all my buddies that come out and watch, especially in the playoffs are amazed at how loud and how enthusiastic our fans are. it makes it a lot of fun playing here in washington. >> our fans are amazing the last couple of years, you know, it's just been so much energy in the building. we have such a great home record because of the fans. >> d.c. fans are great fans, i think. that's amazing how they scream and cheer and, you know, it's unbelievable. >> they are probably the best, i think, especially in the playoffs. they are so loud. if you speak on the ice, you can't' even hear. it's great to be here and the fans just keep going. i mean, it's something that we love every day. >> i