Thursday, February 21, 2019 07:00 PM (ET)

Ovechkin's 43rd goal helps Caps down Leafs

Field Level Media
Feb 21, 2019

Tom Wilson scored a short-handed goal and added an assist to help the visiting Washington Capitals defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 Thursday night.

Alex Ovechkin and Brett Connolly also scored one goal each, and Lars Eller added two assists for the Capitals, who have won two in a row.

Braden Holtby stopped 40 shots for the Capitals, who are 3-2-0 during their six-game road trip.

Andreas Johnsson and John Tavares scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost three in a row. It was their first home game since a 3-2-1 trip.

Frederik Andersen made 25 saves for the Maple Leafs, who had won the first two games between the teams this season.

The Maple Leafs outshot the Capitals 12-8 in the first period and had the best chances. Holtby stopped Patrick Marleau on a two-on-one break in the seventh minute, and Auston Matthews took a shot off a rebound and hit the crossbar.

Ovechkin gave the Capitals the lead with his 43rd goal this season -- and the 650th of his career -- on a power play at 3:54 of the second period, 16 seconds after Morgan Rielly was penalized for holding. Ovechkin slapped home his shot from above the left circle with John Carlson and T.J. Oshie earning the assists.

The Capitals took a 2-0 lead when Connolly scored his 15th goal of the season at 12:07 of the second period on a backhand from the slot after a feed by Eller. Wilson also picked up an assist.

The shots on goal were 21-21 after two periods.

Johnsson scored his 16th goal at 4:23 of the third period on a wraparound with Matthews earning the assist.

The Capitals struck back on a shorthanded goal by Wilson. On a two-on-one breakout, Eller set up Wilson for his 16th goal of the season on a shot from the right hash marks.

Andersen was replaced by an extra attacker with 3:43 left in the third period. Tavares scored his 34th goal at 19:27 of the third.

The Maple Leafs were without center Nazem Kadri, who suffered a concussion Tuesday in the 3-2 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.

--Field Level Media

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