The Maple Leafs succeeded in putting an end to their two-game losing streak on Thursday, March 28th when they hosted the Washington Capitals. Tyler Bertuzzi scored two goals in Toronto’s 5-1 win, and Mark Giordano scored his second of the season in his return after missing 12 games due to a concussion. The Capitals had their three-game win streak end and the fourth straight game where they’ve lost against the Maple Leafs this season after they defeated them 5-2 on December 17th. Joseph Woll made a total of 24 saves for Toronto.
Capitals lineup against the Maple Leafs:
Ovechkin – McMichael – Oshie
Pacioretty – Strome – Miroshnichenko
Sgarbossa – Lapierre – Protas
Malenstyn – Dowd – Aube-Kubel
Fehervary – Carlson
Sandin – Jensen
Alexeyev – van Riemsdyk
Lindgren
Kuemper
Maple Leafs lineup against the Capitals:
Bertuzzi – Matthews – Domi
McMann – Tavares – Nylander
Knies – Holmberg – Robertson
Dewar – Kampf – Reaves
Benoit – McCabe
Brodie – Lyubushkin
Giordano – Timmins
Woll
Samsonov
At 9:51 of the first period, Toronto went up 1-0 after Mark Giordano scored his second goal of the season. He sent a shot from above the left face-off circle high to the blocker side after receiving a pass from Matthew Knies. It had been his first game since the 29th of February, and this goal ended a 30-game goal drought since his last goal on October 28th against the Nashville Predators.
Tyler Bertuzzi recorded his 17th of the season only 18 seconds into the middle frame, making it 2-0. He banked a shot of Charlie Lindgren from behind the net. Cutting it to 2-1, scoring the one and only goal for Washington from the right hash marks, Nic Dowd deflected a shot from Nick Jensen. Connor Dewar extended the lead to 3-1 at 8:22 for his first as a Maple Leaf in his ninth game since being acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on March 8th. Dewar collected a loose puck and backhanded it at the top of the goal crease past Lindgren’s outstretched pad.
Bobby McMann pushed it to 4-1 after he took a pass during a 2-on-1 from John Tavares early into the third at 18:54. It had been his fourth goal in his past five games, and his 14th of the season. Tyler Bertuzzi increased it to 5-1 for his second of the game and for the 5-1 final at 9:49 of the final frame. He shot the puck past Charlie Lindgren, who had been out of position.
Mark Giordano on his goal and pointing skyward afterward, honoring his father Paul, who had passed last month: “It meant a lot. You get back in, and you try to contribute any way – It helped me get through the energy side of it, I think. I’ve obviously been skating with the guys and putting in the work, so it wasn’t really an issue contributing-wise. Felt pretty good,” – “It was something I promised I would do after my dad passed away there if I scored. The way it was going, it looked like it might not happen, but it was nice to get that one… It was pretty special for me.”
Notes:
– Tyler Bertuzzi has been on a roll lately, recording six goals in his past seven games.
– Luckily, Auston Matthews had been able to keep his spot in the lineup as it was announced he was a game-time decision due to illness. He recorded an assist and had a game-high 10 shots on goal.
– Timothy Liljegren had been unable to play after he sustained an upper-body injury. Coach Sheldon Keefe said he’d be missing some time for the Maple Leafs.
– Charlie Lindgren made a total of 43 saves for Washington.
– Nic Dowd has reached the 10-goal mark for the fourth straight season.
