Toronto’s Michael Bunting scores against Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov in the first period Monday in Washington. Luis M. Alvarez/Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Rasmus Sandin scored the go-ahead goal with 3:23 left, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Capitals 5-3 Monday night, handing Washington a sixth consecutive home loss and third overall.
The Capitals bounced back after falling behind less than three minutes in, and dug out of a 3-1 hole to tie it in the third period on Tom Wilson’s second goal of the game. Vitek Vanecek stopped the first 16 shots he faced in relief of Ilya Samsonov, but couldn’t make a save on Sandin’s shot after young defenseman Martin Fehervary was stripped of the puck in the corner.
Pierre Engvall added an empty-netter with 1:01 left to seal Washington’s 10th loss in its last 13 home games.
Goaltending and defensive miscues were to blame for the latest defeat. Fehervary wiped out in the corner on Michael Bunting’s goal 2:35 in, William Nylander beat Samsonov five-hole and Justin Holl scored on a net-front scramble with 1.6 seconds left in the first period.
Samsonov was pulled at the first intermission after giving up three goals on 10 shots.
Toronto has won three in a row, though this was another performance that does not inspire confidence about the playoff-bound team being able to keep the puck out of its own net. Two nights after winning 10-7 at Detroit, the Maple Leafs needed every bit of their offense with Petr Mrazek again struggling in goal.
Mrazek allowed three goals on 33 shots in a rare start over first-time NHL All-Star Jack Campbell, who was pulled in the Red Wings game.
Conor Sheary also scored for the Capitals, who were lightly booed off the ice at the final horn.
DEVILS 7, CANUCKS 2: Jack Hughes had a goal and an assist as New Jersey won at home.
Nico Daws made 36 saves for New Jersey, which has won 12 straight games against the Canucks.
J.T. Miller had an assist to extend his point streak to seven games for the Canucks, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
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