Caps/Flyers Preview - Knuble and Toys for Tots

A word of advice to those heading to catch the Caps meet the Flyers at Wachovia Center in the city of brotherly love tonight - wear your best John Tortorella-proof rain poncho. Because the Flyers have been on an uncharacteristic losing skid and their already rowdy fans will probably be in the mood for a little more beer/food tossing than usual. Especially considering Flyers coach John Stevens was just relieved of his duties as bench boss as of late this afternoon - HM is not sure that was the right move to solve the Flyers' woes...

The normally offensively dangerous Flyers suffered their second back-to-back goose egg at the hands of Vancouver the other night and as of Friday, they've gone eight consecutive periods without a goal. Apparently, they've not been playing their "crash the net and park your butt in the goal crease" game of late. But somehow they always step it up against the rival Capitals, so expect to see those ugly orange and black sweaters clumped like cat litter in front of our crease. And never underestimate Mike Richards and pals, he has a disturbing trend of lighting it up when facing Washington and apparently called a team meeting after the Canucks loss to get the team's logs in line. They've dropped six out of their last seven games as of Friday so will probably be even more obnoxious than ever. Too bad we don't have our own net crasher, Mike Knuble, back from his finger surgery - Brooks and the other boys will have to create their own havoc. I am wondering if the absence of Ovie might create some confusion for the home team, as they spend so much of their attention trying to shut him down with the likes of Chris Pronger, it may just give the other guys a better chance to sneak in and get it done like we did against Florida.

And speaking of former Flyer and new fan fave Mike Knuble, he put on his shopping shoes recently and hit the Toys R'Us in Bailey's Crossroads for Toys for Tots along with the GEICO Gecko and Slapshot. Assisted by Comcast SportsNet's Lisa Hillary and DC-101's Elliot Segal, the group spent more than $10,000 buying 400 toys for kids in need this holiday season.



Mike Knuble hand picks toys for Toys for Tots

“Doing something like this gives you a special feeling during the holidays,” said Knuble, the Capitals’ toy drive spokesman. “We bought tons of toys that we hope the kids will like.”

This event kicked off the Capitals’ Toy Drive presented by GEICO, which is taking place at the Dec. 11 game against Carolina. Fans are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped toys to the F Street entrance of Verizon Center before the game starting at 5:30 p.m. The first 2,000 fans to bring a toy or make a donation will receive a free poster of #22 himself!

All of the toys bought on the shopping trip and collected at the Capitals’ Toy Drive on Dec. 11 will be distributed as holiday gifts to children in need in the Washington, D.C., area. JK Moving and Storage Inc. provided a truck to transport the toys to the Toys for Tots warehouse.

This holiday may be especially bleak with the economic woes many families are experiencing so please join the Caps in making the holidays a little brighter for kids in our area!