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The Toronto Maple Leafs delivered a dominant performance, securing a convincing 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Toronto dominated the score sheet, with Tyler Bertuzzi scoring twice and Bobby McMann also getting on the scoresheet.
Connor Dewar put the puck in the net for the first time in a Maple Leafs sweater, and Mark Giordano opened up scoring for the Leafs in his first game back from injury.
Despite the high goal totals, the goalies played stellar as well. Despite allowing five goals, Charlie Lindgren was able to make 43 saves. Joseph Woll got the win with only 23 saves on the night. It was apparent that the Capitals were besieged by a red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs offense throughout the matchup.
3 takeaways from Toronto Maple Leafs' shining 5-1 win over Washington Capitals
Tyler Bertuzzi's two-goal effort highlighted his impressive scoring streak, while Auston Matthews will continue his search for the elusive 60th goal. The Washington Capitals could have used a point out of the game, with the Detroit Red Wings hot on their tails.
#1. Auston Matthews continues pursuit of 60th goal
Despite registering an assist in tonight's game, Auston Matthews remains focused on reaching the milestone of scoring his 60th goal of the season.
Matthews was recently sidelined with an illness, which further extended his period of waiting for the 60-goal mark. He currently leads the NHL in goals and is on the way to possibly winning another Rocket Richard Trophy at the end of the season.
#2. Tyler Bertuzzi continues scoring streak
Tyler Bertuzzi's impressive performance against the Capitals further solidified his scoring streak, with six goals in his last seven games. Bertuzzi's offensive prowess and knack for finding the back of the net have provided a significant boost to the Maple Leafs' offensive depth. In the past month, Tyler Bertuzzi has had three multi-goal games, nearly doubling his season totals up until that point.
#3. Capitals fail to gain a point as playoff odds become more dire
With the loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Washington Capitals missed out on an opportunity to gain a valuable point in the playoff race, further complicating their postseason aspirations.
As they cling to the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Capitals face mounting pressure to secure points and solidify their position in the NHL playoffs moving forward.
They currently sit fourth in the Metropolitan Division with 81 points, just a point behind the Philadelphia Flyers.
