Ovechkin's hat trick powers Capitals to victory
TORONTO -- Alex Ovechkin scored three goals as the Washington Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 on Saturday night.
Jakub Vrana also scored for the Capitals (14-10-1), who have won three games in a row to match their season-best winning streak.
Ovechkin's third goal of the game came at 19:53 of the third period into an empty net. It was his third hat trick of the campaign after combining for seven goals in the first two games of the season.
Braden Holtby stopped 27 shots in the Washington goal. T.J. Oshie had three assists for the Capitals.
Defensemen Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev scored for the Maple Leafs (15-9-1) and backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney made 17 saves.
Ovechkin scored his 16th goal of the season, completing a rush from his own end with a snap shot from the slot at 12:43 of the first period with Nicklas Backstrom picking up an assist.
It was the 574th goal of Ovechkin's career, passing Mike Bossy to move into 21st place on the NHL all-time scoring list.
Ovechkin added his 17th goal of the season at 19:13 of the first on a power play with a slapping a rolling puck from the high slot after a faceoff. Oshie earned the assist.
Vrana notched his seventh goal of the season at 11:02 of the second period from the low slot after beating Toronto defenseman Zaitsev to the puck at the Maple Leafs blue line.
Gardiner scored his second goal of the season on a shot from the blue line at 1:24 of the third period.
Zaitsev scored his third of the season at 6:09 of the third. He carried the puck from the blue line to the side of the goal and his pass bounced in off Holtby.
The Maple Leafs removed McElhinney for an extra attacker with 2:07 left in the third period.
NOTES: Toronto LW Matt Martin, C Dominic Moore and D Roman Polak returned to the lineup Saturday. Martin did not suit up for the win Friday against the Carolina, Moore did not play in the two previous games and Polak had not played for the previous 10 games. D Connor Carrick, RW Nikita Soshnikov and LW Josh Leivo were not in uniform. ... Washington RW Brett Connolly, D Aaron Ness and LW Nathan Walker did not dress Saturday. ... The Maple Leafs defeated the Capitals 2-0 in Washington on Oct. 17. ... The Capitals are home to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. ... The Maple Leafs visit the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.