Capitals edge Maple Leafs, extend point streak to 6

Connor McMichael scored the go-ahead goal at 9:51 of the third period, and the Washington Capitals extended their point streak to six games with a 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Friday.

Auston Matthews tried to pass the puck around the boards behind the Maple Leafs’ net, but it hit off an official and deflected into the crease, where McMichael gathered it and lifted a shot over the glove of a sprawling Anthony Stolarz.

“Growing up I dreamed of playing in the NHL and specifically this sheet of ice, so it’s pretty cool to be able to do that in front of friends and family,” said McMichael, who grew up in Ajax, Ontario, which is about an hour northeast of Scotiabank Arena.

“I thought we did a really good job tonight of just keeping it simple. It was a great road win for us. We were pushing, we had chances, and sometimes that’s just hockey, the way it goes. You get a lucky bounce and you just have to capitalize on it.”

Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist, and Charlie Lindgren made 20 saves for the Capitals (18-6-2), who are 5-0-1 during their point streak and extended their road winning streak to eight games, a franchise record.

“I’m really proud of that for our guys,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “Playing on the road, to me, is where you show your true identity, and now we have to clean some things up at home. On the road is where you have to go into hostile environments like Toronto and play against a really good hockey team that’s playing really well, and you just have to stick to your game. You just have to grind your way through and stay mentally tough. … To have that record, I’m proud of the way the guys have played on the road.”

John Tavares scored, and Stolarz made 23 saves for the Maple Leafs (16-8-2), who had won three in a row.

“They’re obviously playing really good hockey,” Tavares said. “They took a lot of time and space away and I don’t think we played through that pressure well enough and the way we are capable of, and when we had the opportunity to get on the forecheck, I just don’t think we were as quick as we needed to be to close time and space and make it difficult on them to make clean plays and get up the ice.”

The Capitals went ahead 1-0 at 1:06 of the second period when Dowd deflected a point shot from Matt Roy at the top of the crease.

“Instead of just going the other way with the puck we brought it back too much tonight. It started from the first period on for the whole game,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “That eventually bit us and cost us. We didn’t play a north game, we didn’t play fast tonight. They were the better team. They deserved to win.”

Tavares tied it 1-1 at 11:31 of the second. He received a stretch pass from Chris Tanev and deked Lindgren on a breakaway before roofing a backhand.

After McMichael put the Capitals back in front 2-1, Lindgren preserved the lead at 18:37 by stretching out to make a glove save on Tavares at the top of the crease.

“The puck was kind of scrambling on my left post there. I knew he was backside,” Lindgren said. “I don’t know who it was that made the pass, but I was able to make a good push and luckily made the save.”

Said Tavares: “I have a little bit of space there, and I just tried to get it up as best I can. He got across pretty well. Could I have been a little more patient with it? … Obviously, got to find a way to try and put it in.”

Aliaksei Protas shot into an empty net with 57 seconds remaining for the 3-1 final.

“From the drop of the puck, I thought that’s as good of a road game as you are going to find,” Lindgren said. “Making all the right plays, didn’t give them too much. I thought we were all over the puck tonight.”

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