Matthews breaks tie in third period to help Maple Leafs defeat Capitals
Auston Matthews scored the go-ahead goal in the third period, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday.
Matthews, who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP last season and led the NHL with 60 goals, deflected a point shot from Mark Giordano that went off Charlie Lindgren’s blocker before rolling down his back and into the net to give Toronto a 3-2 lead at 6:55.
The Maple Leafs killed off the final 41 seconds with the Capitals playing 6-on-4 after Mitchell Marner took a high-sticking penalty and Lindgren pulled for an extra attacker.
Ilya Samsonov made 24 saves for the Maple Leafs (1-1-0) in his Toronto debut.
Samsonov, who was drafted by the Capitals with the No. 22 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, was 52-22-8 with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 89 games (79 starts) with Washington the past three seasons before signing a one-year, $1.8 million contract July 13.
Nic Dowd and Marcus Johansson scored, and Lindgren made 36 saves in his debut for the Capitals (0-2-0).
Johansson put the Capitals up 2-1 at 13:52 of the first period when he shot between Samsonov’s blocker and chest protector from the right face-off dot.
Calle Jarnkrok tied it 2-2 at 3:53 of the second period when he deflected a pass from Alex Kerfoot over Lindgren’s right pad at the top of the goal crease.
The Maple Leafs went up 1-0 at 6:40 of the first period when John Tavares tapped in a pass from Morgan Rielly at the side of the net on the power play.
Dowd tied it 1-1 at 9:57 when he one-timed a pass in the slot from Erik Gustafsson, who was behind the net.
LEAFS WIN!!!!@LGCanada | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/DD8GeSSp01
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 14, 2022
⭐️ AUSTAR ⭐️@Molson_Canadian | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/nw4KPy6kGu
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 14, 2022
Thanks for stopping by, Dwayne! Love you too 💙#BlackAdamRocksCanada // #BlackAdam pic.twitter.com/7ul6zsr1XL
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 14, 2022
Not a bad home debut for some Buds 🍁 pic.twitter.com/hpdBi2wf5G
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) October 14, 2022