Capitals at Maple Leafs
Rookie phenom Auston Matthews looks to extend his goal-scoring streak to six games and keep the Toronto Maple Leafs on course for an Eastern Conference playoff spot when they host the NHL-best Washington Capitals on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games after a 4-2 win at Buffalo on Monday and lead both Ottawa and Boston by one point for second place in the Atlantic Division.
Matthews has scored six times on his streak and eight during a nine-game point run to break Toronto’s all-time rookie record for both goals (39) and points (67) in a season. The Capitals could clinch home ice through the Eastern Conference playoffs with a non-shootout victory and a triumph by Columbus over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Washington also is 8-1-1 in its last 10 games after posting a 3-2 road victory over the Blue Jackets on Sunday and has a five-point lead over the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division. “I think home ice throughout the postseason is important,” Capitals forward T.J. Oshie told reporters. “I think whoever we match up against, it’s going to be a battle, but we definitely want to finish in the top spot, and we want to finish well.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), TSN4 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (52-18-8): Washington rebounded with a solid effort Sunday, despite allowing 37 shots, after losing at Arizona 6-3 two days earlier - its only regulation setback since March 12. While captain Alex Ovechkin (no points in four games) and Evgeny Kuznetsov (points in one of his last six contests) have cooled off, leading scorer Nicklas Backstrom continues to sizzle with 17 points in 11 games to push his season total to 84. Some of them have come on a red-hot power play that has converted 10 of its 22 opportunities over the last eight contests.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (39-24-15): Matthews looks to be on track to win the Calder Trophy, but fellow rookies William Nylander and Mitch Marner are not too far behind the 2016 first overall draft pick. Marner and Nylander, who has landed on the scoresheet in 14 of his last 15 games, each have recorded 60 points while Nazem Kadri tied them with a goal and an assist in Monday’s win. James van Riemsdyk also has gotten into the act lately with goals in three consecutive contests to push his season total to 26 - four shy of his career high.
OVERTIME
1. The Capitals have won six of their last seven meetings with the Maple Leafs but split a pair this season, including a 6-5 overtime triumph on Jan. 3 behind four points from Kuznetsov.
2. Matthews needs one goal to become the first Toronto player to reach 40 in a season since Mats Sundin accomplished the feat in 2001-02.
3. Oshie has registered five points (three goals) in his last four games while LW Marcus Johansson has collected a goal and nine assists in his last six contests.