Tyler Bertuzzi, Leafs too much for Caps to handle

Field Level Media|published: Thu 28th March, 21:55 2024

Mar 28, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Connor Dewar (24) knocks Washington Capitals forward Dylan Strome (17) off of the puck as he breaks in on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll (60) during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. credits: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the visiting Washington Capitals 5-1 Thursday night, sweeping the three-game season series.

Mark Giordano, Connor Dewar and Bobby McMann also scored for the Maple Leafs, who had lost their two previous games.

Joseph Woll made 24 saves for Toronto (41-22-9, 91 points), which sits in third place in the Atlantic Division, four points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Nic Dowd scored for the Capitals (36-27-9, 81 points), who had won six of their previous seven games.

Charlie Lindgren stopped 43 shots for Washington, which still holds the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

Giordano, playing his first game since Feb. 29 because of injury, scored his second goal of the season at 10:09 of the first period. Matthew Knies had a shot blocked but regained control and circled back on the left side of the Washington zone to set up Giordano for a 43-foot wrist shot.

Bertuzzi scored his 17th goal of the season 18 seconds into the second period. He was behind the net when he banked the puck off Lindgren's leg and in.

Toronto continued to press as Max Domi's shot hit the crossbar at 2:28.

Dowd tipped in Nick Jensen's shot from the point for his 10th goal of the season at 5:27 of the second to cut the Caps' deficit to 2-1.

Dewar scored his 11th goal of the season at 11:38 of the second on a six-foot backhand. David Kampf had worked the puck to the front of the net. Dewar's first goal as a Maple Leaf came after Washington came close to tying the game.

Toronto took a three-goal lead when McMann scored his 14th goal of the season at 1:06 of the third period after a Toronto break. McMann's 22-foot shot was deflected by a Washington player into the goal.

Bertuzzi scored his 18th goal at 10:11 of the third on an unassisted effort.

Toronto's Auston Matthews (illness) was a game-time decision and was cleared to play. He had chances but did not score his 60th goal of the season.

The Maple Leafs were without Mitchell Marner (ankle), Morgan Rielly (upper-body injury), Joel Edmundson (undisclosed) and Timothy Liljegren (upper-body injury).

Washington was without Tom Wilson (suspension).

—Field Level Media

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