Gerber wins debut with Leafs

WASHINGTON - On a night when a rare no-show by Alexander Ovechkin should have been the main story, it was the appearance of a nondescript goalie that stole the show at the Verizon Center.

Despite missing the National Hockey League's top gunner with a bruised heel, the Washington Capitals were able to pepper the Toronto Maple Leafs with a bevy of prime scoring opportunities, but it took them almost the entire game to fool Martin Gerber, who had a memorable debut in blue and white.

The beleaguered goalie - buried in the minors when he was claimed off waivers from Ottawa at the NHL trade deadline Wednesday - stopped 37 shots in a 2-1 victory for the Leafs, and had a strong bid for a shutout ruined by Alexander Semin with just 38.6 seconds left on the clock.

"It would have been nice to finish off the shutout, but I'm very pleased with the victory on an emotional night," said Gerber, thrilled to get another chance in the NHL. "I was kind of nervous going into the game, but I settled down and the guys did a good job allowing me to see most of the shots. The win was very rewarding."

Gerber, the first Toronto goalie since Felix Potvin to wear jersey No. 29, looked poised and confident throughout the match, displaying what coach Ron Wilson described as his "Quebec" style.

"(Gerber) was unbelievable tonight, but I've seen him play plenty of games like that," said Wilson. "He's a butterfly goalie with a big upper body, and I'm just sad that he didn't get the shutout."

The Swiss netminder, who Wilson said will start Saturday's game against the Edmonton Oilers, made a variety of difficult stops to lead the way for the Leafs. He thwarted the Capitals' Tomas Fleischmann on a clear breakaway early in the middle frame, then began the third period by robbing David Steckel with a remarkable stick save, as the Washington forward only had to lift the puck over the sprawled netminder into a yawning cage.

Goals by forward Lee Stempniak and defenceman Pavel Kubina in a 3:42 span midway through the final period broke a scoreless deadlock and sent the Leafs to their fifth victory in six games. It was Toronto's first regulation-time result in eight starts, dating to Feb. 17.

Though the Capitals cleared Ovechkin to play after the morning skate, the 46-goal shooter felt he couldn't dress for the game, having blocked a shot with his foot in practice on Wednesday.

"I made the decision after the skate," he told a swarm of media in the press box during the first intermission. "It wasn't bad enough to have an X-ray or MRI and I hope to be able to play on Sunday (against Pittsburgh). But, it definitely needed a rest tonight."

Ovechkin had missed only one prior match with injury - in his rookie season, 2005-06 - and had feasted on the Maple Leafs, with 13 goals in 14 career meetings.

"It's hard to watch your teammates once every thousand games or something," Ovechkin cracked. "I just have to sit and cheer for them."

It didn't work.

"He's not their only talented player," Wilson scoffed at reporters. "They have a few other guys that can put the puck in the net, and we don't have anyone close to Ovechkin. So, don't use his absence as an excuse (for the Capitals losing)."

Stempniak broke the ice by sneaking a shot past Jose Theodore on the short side at 6:05 of the final frame. Kubina then one-timed John Mitchell's pass from behind the net to give the Leafs some insurance.