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TORONTO - Early this season, the Washington Capitals battled fits of inconsistency and the confusion that comes with yet another coach and another system. Almost halfway through the season, they looked like a team that had everything together. The Capitals, in beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2 Wednesday night, provided a blueprint for what Peter Horachek wants to accomplish the rest of the year. His mentor, Barry Trotz, took some time to get Alex Ovechkin and Co. to put the pieces together, but a recent stretch of at least a point in 14 of 15 games represents the consistency the Leafs want to find. I have a feeling theyre going to be playing a pretty similar system, Capitals forward Eric Fehr said of the Leafs. You cant do it all in one day. I think the most important part is the D-zone and we established that in training camp with a lot of physical battles in training camp and a lot of teaching. I dont know how much time theyre going to have to learn it on the fly, but its worked well for us now that we figured it out. Washington forward Brooks Laich, now on his fifth coach along with many of his teammates after stints under Glen Hanlon, Bruce Boudreau, Dale Hunter and Adam Oates, estimated it takes 50 to 60 games to really get your identity and identify how youre going to win. The Leafs dont have that kind of time, at least to salvage this season. At the midpoint, theyre 21-17-3 and a point out of a playoff spot. The Capitals, thanks to their recent run of success, are 21-11-7 and solidly in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Much has changed for Washington, not the least of which has been stronger play from goaltender Braden Holtby, who has a 2.33 goals-against average and .930 save percentage over the past 15 games. It means hes playing really well and it means were playing well defensively as well to give long-range shots, not second chances, that sort of thing, Laich said. Our five-on-five play has improved. Two areas of that is the wall play, breaking out of our zone, and the net-front traffic at the other end has drastically improved. The Capitals made roster changes from last season, with new general manager Brian McLellan bringing in defencemen Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen to stabilize the teams biggest weakness. The Leafs may find themselves in a similar spot this summer trying to shore up a few areas. But for now the teams have some similarities. Phil Kessel is a poor mans Ovechkin, a scoring winger who is the subject of criticism, and other key pieces match up, even if Washington has more depth of talent and the evidence to prove it from several playoff appearances. Still, when Trotz took over for this season, it was something of a fresh start. The longtime Nashville Predators coach had to drill his philosophies into a veteran group that had gone through plenty of coaching changes already. The player has to make the commitment. Thats where it starts, Trotz said. Ive been very fortunate that the guys that Ive gotten an opportunity to coach here, theyre committed to the buy-in and they wanted the change. ... Theyre a group that recognizes that theres a certain way we need to play as a group if were going to be successful. Horachek worked 10 seasons under Trotz as an assistant and then an associate coach for the Nashville Predators and could look to turn the Leafs into a version of the Capitals. But he doesnt have a long-term contract to work with, just 40-some games and the freedom that comes with lower expectations. On a very small scale, Horachek is already following his good friends lead, even if just subconsciously. Before his Leafs head-coaching debut, the 54-year-old said he wasnt going to rush changes, something Trotz was careful about in Washington. At the beginning of the season, Trotzy didnt want to give us too many adjustments, Fehr said. Weve slowly transformed our game into the way he wants us to play. I think hes done a good job of it, we understand what we need to do. I think were pretty consistent at doing it. General manager Dave Nonis cited inconsistency as the reason for firing coach Randy Carlyle. Horachek will try to instill something of that in the near future. Even in the 6-2 loss to the Capitals, Horachek pointed to limiting chances and shots and controlling puck possession as positives the Leafs can build off of. But Toronto is a long way from what its opponent was like Wednesday night. Change there has set in. I think its the way we use all five guys in the D-zone to help break out the puck, Fehr said. We do a good job coming back helping our defence find outlets. I think it really frustrates teams when they cant sustain pressure and we can just get the puck up and out. With the Leafs trying to become more of a puck-possession team, first under Carlyle and now under Horachek, the first step is getting the puck back. Horachek is expected to adopt some of Trotzs theories to make that happen and began making adjustments Tuesday in practice. Its what we used to call five, five and five, Horachek said. We want five guys in the defensive zone, in the neutral zone and in the offensive zone. Its all connected and we believe thats the way it has to be. Even if the Leafs hope to replicate the Capitals, it wont be a smooth process. Trotz knows from the past few months that there are growing pains associated with change. Even if youre playing well defensively you might not get the wins, Trotz said. You always get tested how far youre going to come off the rail, if you will, to have balance in your game. Weve been tested a few times and youve got to keep pulling it back. To me Ive been very fortunate, Ive got some really good leaders in the room, our leadership group is strong. Weve had some pointed talks, if you will, when its gone off the rails a little bit. Its unfair to expect Horachek to be a miracle worker, even though he worked under Trotz for so long. And as Laich knows, players need time to adjust to a new coach. A system is not a hard thing to execute, its not, Laich said. But it does take time to iron out every little detail of your switches in your own zone, your coverage changes, your side-to-side transitions, your rotations. Those are little, finite things that do take a little bit of time. Cheap Sneakers Wholesale China . 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LONDON -- Arsene Wenger signed a new three-year deal to manage Arsenal until 2017, renewing his commitment to the club on Friday after ending a nine-year trophy drought. The new deal was announced by Arsenal to the London Stock Exchange and will take Wenger into his 21st year at the club, where he has been in charge since 1996. "I want to stay and to continue to develop the team and the club. We are entering a very exciting period," Wenger said on the Arsenal website. "We have a strong squad, financial stability and huge support around the world. We are all determined to bring more success to this club." The 64-year-old Frenchman won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups in the first half of his Arsenal tenure, but failed to capture a trophy since 2005 until winning this seasons FA Cup. Wenger has guided the London side into the Champions League for 17 consecutive seasons and is the longest-serving manager in the Premier League following the retirement of Alex Ferguson at Manchester United last year. "The club has always shown faith in me and Im very grateful for that," Wenger said. "We have gone through fantastic periods and also periods where we have had to stick together. Every time when that togetherness was tested I got the right response. I think I have shown some loyalty as well towards this club and hopefully we can make some more history. I am sure we can." Wenger is Arsenals most successful manager in its history, helping change the face of English football by bringing in new training methods and dietary plans that were regarded as revolutionary in his first years in the country after joining from Japanese club Grampus Eight. Previously, he was at French side Monaco. On the pitch, his Arsenal team broke Uniteds stranglehold oon the Premier League around the turn of the century and then went through a season unbeaten in the 2003-04 campaign, playing an eye-catching brand of football with Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira to the fore to the fore.dddddddddddd Fans patience has been tested in recent years during the trophy drought, however, with dissenters frustrated at Wengers refusal to spend money on big-name players and his unshakeable belief in squad members who didnt appear to be at the required standard. Further criticism was targeted at Wenger for selling star players Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and Samir Nasri to rivals like Barcelona, United and Manchester City. The club-record signing of Germany playmaker Mesut Ozil for 50 million euros ($66 million) last summer suggested a chance in stance in the transfer market from Wenger. "What I can promise is that we work very hard on a market that is very, very congested with many people who have a lot of money," Wenger said. "But we have a big advantage, players want to join us and if we find the right quality Im sure we can strengthen the team." And winning the FA Cup could be the catalyst for a new successful era under the Frenchman, widely regarded as the Premier Leagues only manager who cant be fired. "Sustained excellence is the hardest thing to achieve in sport and the fact Arsenal has competed at the top of the game in England and Europe throughout the time Arsene has been manager, is the ultimate testimony to his consistency of performance, talent and ambition," Arsenals majority owner Stan Kroenke said. "We are delighted with the FA Cup success which has added to his already outstanding record. Under his guidance we look forward to adding more trophies in future seasons." ' ' '