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Raycroft blanks Caps as Leafs continue playoff push

Mar 7, 2007 - 6:19 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Andrew Raycroft has lifted the Toronto Maple Leafs right back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Raycroft posted his second shutout of the season and the Maple Leafs moved into eight place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-0 victory over the Washington Capitals.

Raycroft made eight saves in the first period, nine in the middle session and seven in the third for his fifth career shutout.

"We've still got a long way to go and tonight was not an easy step but it was a good start for us," Raycroft said. "Not just our D but our whole team defense did a great job. Our penalty killing did a great job."

Darcy Tucker, Yanic Perreault and Alexei Ponikarovsky scored for the Maple Leafs, who moved into an eighth-place tie with Carolina. The Maple Leafs have a game in hand over the Hurricanes.

"We just need to keep it simple at home. We came out pretty strong, the goaltender made some great saves, our PK did a great job," Perreault said. "We need to play this kind of hockey if we want to be in the playoffs."

Tucker gave the Leafs a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the second period when he beat Washington goaltender Frederic Cassivi, who has not won an NHL game since February 2003.

"Tonight we did a great job nullifying, put the puck behind them, get the puck," Tucker said. "And that's the way the guys have been playing on the road. Do the simple things."

With the win, their second in three games, the Maple Leafs snapped a three-game losing streak at home but are still just a disappointing 13-15-5 at the Air Canada Centre.

The Capitals have dropped five straight contests and are ahead of only the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference standings.

"I think they had a good game plan," Washington coach Glen Hanlon said. "They likely looked to stay patient here and wait for mistakes and open this thing up."