Tonight, the Washington Capitals will play their final game before a three-day Christmas break against the New York Rangers - a team that is horrendous at home (5-10-3) and almost unbeatable away from Madison Square Garden (13-6-1). If you want me to explain that, I can't. Weird flex. The Capitals will be without Tom Wilson (sick) and Rasmus Sandin (upper-body injury). Ryan Leonard is back, though, taking Ivan Miroshnichenko's spot on the NHL roster.
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz did not travel with the team for the road trip, as he recovers from an upper-body injury, head coach Craig Berube confirmed via Sportsnet's Luke Fox. Stolarz sustained the injury against the Boston Bruins on November 11 and has been out of action since. Joseph Woll will make his sixth consecutive start on Friday, when the Maple Leafs face off against the Washington Capitals. Dennis Hildeby is widely expected to start Saturday's contest against the Pittsburgh Penguins.