Maple Leafs at Capitals
Only six NHL players have scored at least 46 goals in their rookie season and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs can become part of that contingent if he maintains his current pace. The last player in that group to achieve that feat was Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, who will host Matthews and the surging Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
The No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, Matthews moved into a tie for second in the league with 20 goals after scoring twice, including the overtime game-winner, in Sunday's outdoor Centennial Classic win over Detroit. "To get a big goal like that, you don't want to call it a storybook (ending). But you may as well, right?" defenseman Morgan Rielly said after Matthews lifted Toronto to a season-high fifth consecutive win. The Capitals have rebounded from a 1-2-2 stretch -- each loss coming by one goal -- with back-to-back wins at New Jersey (6-2) and at home versus Ottawa (2-1) on Saturday and Sunday. Washington had won five in a row in the series prior to a 4-2 setback at Toronto on Nov. 26.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVAS, TSN4 (Toronto), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (17-12-7): Matthews has been on a red-hot binge since a 13-game goalless drought, scoring 14 times in his last 17 games and earned NHL First Star of the Week on Monday for netting four goals in the first three games following the holiday break. "He's just going to get better," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "He's going to play with more pace. He's going to understand more. He's just going to get better." Connor Brown has three goals and four assists during the five-game winning streak.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (22-9-5): Defenseman Taylor Chorney doesn't see much ice time for Washington, but he is proving to be a good-luck charm when he is in the lineup. Chorney delivered the game-winning tally against Ottawa with his first goal of the season and third career (in 130 games) as the Capitals improved to 6-0-1 in his seven appearances since Nov. 11. "He doesn't get to play a whole lot," fellow blue-liner Karl Alzner said of Chorney. "Every game he's played, he's been not just good. He's been great."
OVERTIME
1. The Maple Leafs have killed off all 22 penalties during the winning streak.
2. Ovechkin has tormented Toronto with 32 goals and 58 points in 40 games.
3. Maple Leafs F Nazem Kadri scored in Toronto's 4-2 win over Washington on Nov. 26 -- his first goal in 15 games versus the Capitals.