Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: George McPhee Declines To Give Bruce Boudreau Vote Of Confidence

Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: Caps' Skid Reaches Four Straight In 7-1 Blowout Loss

The Washington Capitals continue to find spectacular ways to lose lately. Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they decided to try the "embarrassing blowout" approach.

The Leafs scored seven goals in one game after scoring eight in their previous six in a 7-1 win over the slumping Caps

Tim Connolly, Matt Frattin, Tyler Bozak, Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, Cody Franson and former Cap David Steckel scored for Toronto, who entered the game without seven regulars suffering from injuries and in a 1-4-1 skid identical the Caps' entering Saturday.

Brooks Laich scored for the Caps, who actually were tied at 1-1 before giving up six unanswered goals. The Leafs scored three power play goals in the second period alone as the game got out of hand.

Tomas Vokoun started the game, but did not finish it after allowing four goals on 18 shots. Michal Neuvirth did not do much better in relief, allowing three goals on 11 shots.

The Caps were outscored 14-3 on their three-game road trip and return home Monday to play the Phoenix Coyotes at Verizon Center.

Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: Caps In Five-Goal Hole, Trail Leafs 6-1

When it rains, it pours for the Washington Capitals.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scored four times in the second period and lead the Caps 6-1 after 40 minutes.

Tyler Bozak extended Toronto's lead to 3-1 on the power play at 1:18. Phil Kessel started the play by passing the puck to Dion Phaneuf at the right point. Phaneuf cut to the net and sent a pass to Joffrey Lupul along the goal line. Lupul's attempted centering pass to Bozak deflected off Karl Alzner's skate, but it came to Bozak anyway and his shot in tight beat Tomas Vokoun for his second goal of the season.

Phil Kessel added his league-leading 14th goal of the season just over four minutes later when Bozak's pass from in front of the crease slipped through both Dennis Wideman and John Erskine's legs, leaving him alone to beat Vokoun. Michal Neuvirth entered the game in relief after Kessel's goal.

Lupul made it 5-1 with a power play goal of his own at 17:12. Cody Franson added his first of the season and third power play goal for the Leafs in the period at 19:29 to make it 6-1.

Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: Late Goal Gives Toronto 2-1 Lead After 20 Minutes

It may be Fall, but so far, the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing anything but.

Two goals on 17 shots have given the Leafs a 2-1 lead over the Washington Capitals after 20 minutes.

Tim Connolly put the Maple Leafs on the scoreboard first just 1:39 into the game as he cashed in on a Jeff Schultz turnover. Schultz's attempted outlet pass hit Joffrey Lupul's legs. Lupul corralled the puck and sent a pass to an open Connolly, who had plenty of time to set up and fire a wrist shot past Tomas Vokoun for his second goal of the season and 400th point of his career.

Brooks Laich brought the Caps back only 51 seconds later when Jason Chimera set him up with a drop pass. Laich's slap shot from just below the point sailed over Jonas Gustavsson's shoulder and into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.

Matt Frattin gave the Leafs a late 2-1 lead at 19:16 when he took Joe Colborne's cross-ice pass and fired a wrist shot past Vokoun for his first goal of the season and first-career NHL goal. It was Colborne's second career NHL point.

Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: Starting Lineup

Via Mike Vogel, below is the staring lineup for the Washington Capitals as they prepare to face the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre at 7 p.m.:

Alex Ovechkin - Marcus Johansson - Alexander Semin

Cody Eakin - Nicklas Backstrom - Troy Brouwer

Jason Chimera - Brooks Laich - Joel Ward

Matt Hendricks - Jeff Halpern - Mike Knuble

Karl Alzner - John Carlson

John Erskine - Dennis Wideman

Roman Hamrlik - Jeff Schultz

Tomas Vokoun will start for the Caps. Mathieu Perreault is the healthy scratch for the sixth time in eight games.

Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: Tomas Vokoun To Start As Bruce Boudreau Shuffles Lines

Tomas Vokoun will start for the Washington Capitals Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, according to The Washington Post's Katie Carrera. He will be opposed by Jonas Gustavsson.

Vokoun is 8-3-2 with a 2.07 GAA and .933 SV% in his career against Toronto. Meanwhile, Gustavsson has struggled against Washington, sporting s 1-1-1 record with a 3.93 GAA and .871 SV%, and this season in general with a 4-4-0 record, 3.78 GAA and .878 SV%.

Looking for offense, head coach Bruce Boudreau has switched around his forward lines yet again, putting Alex Ovechkin, Marcus Johansson and Alexander Semin on the top line and Cody Eakin, Nicklas Backstrom and Troy Brouwer on the second. This should reunite the third line of Jason Chimera, Brooks Laich and Jason Chimera, while the fourth line of Matt Hendricks, Jeff Halpern and Mike Knuble remains intact.

Both teams are 1-4-1 in their last six games and will look to right the proverbial ship Saturday at Air Canada Centre.

Capitals Vs. Maple Leafs: Two Struggling Teams Look To Right Things Saturday

The Caps are 1-4-1 in their last six games as is their opponent Saturday, the Maple Leafs.