TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:
LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 4 at Tampa Bay 3 – OTW
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
TOR Goals: Nylander, Knies, Knies, Tavares (OTW)
TBL Goals: Kucherov (PP), Barré-Boulet, Kucherov (PP)
TOR Goaltender: Woll, 29/29, 1.000 SV% – Samsonov, 1/4, .250 SV%
TBL Goaltender: Johansson, 48/52, .923 SV%
TOR Power Play: 0-for-2
TOR Penalty Kill: 2-for-4
Player Notes: – John Tavares scored the game-winning goal for the Maple Leafs at 4:05 of overtime. Tavares posted the 17th overtime goal of his NHL career and his sixth overtime goal with Toronto, tying him for the fifth most in franchise history with Steve Thomas and Wendel Clark. Tavares also registered the secondary assist on Nylander’s goal. Tavares extended his point streak to five games where he has posted nine points (2G, 7A). Tavares posted his third multi-point game of the season.
- William Nylander scored for the Maple Leafs at 4:16 of the first period and recorded the primary assist on Tavares’ game-winning goal. Nylander extended his point streak to five games where he has recorded nine points (4G, 5A). Nylander also extended his assist streak to five games (5A), tying the second longest assist streak of his NHL career, the longest being six games (6A) which he set on March 8-19, 2022. Nylander posted his third multi-point game of the season.
- Matthew Knies scored for Toronto at 12:11 of the third period, recording the first regular season goal of his NHL career. Knies scored his second goal of the game at 14:33 of the third period, posting the first multi-goal game of his NHL career. Knies also registered the primary assist on Nylander’s goal setting a new single-game career-high of three points.
- Max Domi recorded his first multi-assist game as a Maple Leaf and the 40th multi-assist game of his NHL career.
- In relief, Joseph Woll stopped all 29 shots he faced in Saturday’s overtime win.
TONIGHT’S GAME
2023-24 Matchups vs. Washington: First of Three
2022-23 Record vs. Washington: 2-1-0
Toronto Season Record: 3-2-0
Toronto Road Record: 1-1-0
TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are scheduled to take on the Washington Capitals tonight at Capital One Arena in the first of three games between the clubs this season. The Maple Leafs have won five of their last six games against the Capitals. The Maple Leafs are skating in their third game of a five-game road trip (1-1-0), the longest road trip of the season for the team. The Maple Leafs posted a 23-13-5 road record during the 2022-23 season, tying a franchise win for most road wins during a single-season with 23.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: TSN RADIO: Sportsnet 590
Toronto Maple Leafs: Media Notes
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
October 20, 2023 Forward Pontus Holmberg has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Defenceman Simon Benoit has been loaned to the Marlies.
INJURY REPORT
Conor Timmins LTIR
Jake Muzzin LTIR
Matt Murray LTIR
ALL-TIME VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS:
First Matchup between Clubs: October 27, 1974 (Toronto 4 at Washington 3)
All-Time Record: 68-72-10-5 (155 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 41-27-6-2 (76 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 27-45-4-3 (79 Games)
Last Road Win vs. Opponent: April 24, 2022 (Toronto 4 at Washington 3 – SOW)
ACTIVE LEADERS VS. WASHINGTON CAPITALS:
Games Played: John Tavares (43), Morgan Rielly (25), Mark Giordano (23)
Goals: John Tavares (18), Auston Matthews (7), William Nylander (5)
Assists: John Tavares (23), Morgan Rielly (16), Auston Matthews (11), Max Domi (11)
Points: John Tavares (41), Morgan Rielly (18), Auston Matthews (18)
Penalty Minutes Ryan Reaves (34), Mark Giordano (20), Max Domi (16)
2023-24 AVERAGES
Points% GF/Game GA/Game PP% PK% SF/G SA/G FO%
Toronto .600 3.60 3.80 29.4 76.5 38.6 28.4 49.2
Washington .375 1.25 3.75 0.0 73.7 24.8 33.0 41.3
THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2023-24
Power Play: 5/17 (29.4%)
Power Play Goal Leader: 2 – Matthews
Power Play Point Leader: 3 – Nylander (1G, 2A), Tavares (3A)
2022-23 Power Play: 64/246 (26.0%)
ON THE PK IN 2023-24
Penalty Kill: 13/17 (76.5%)
Shorthanded Goal Leader: N/A
Shorthanded Point Leader: N/A
2022-23 Penalty Kill: 203/248 (81.9%)
FAST FACTS
Tuesday games 1st of 15 (8 home, 7 road)
Back-to-Backs played 0 of 13
Record in first game of back-to-back 0-0-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 0-0-0
October games 6th of 9 (4 home, 5 road)
WASHINGTON CAPITALS NOTES:
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Recalled defenseman Hardy Häman Aktell from AHL Hershey and placed goaltender Charlie Lindgren on IR, 10/19
INJURIES/ILLNESSES
Nic Dowd: 10/18-10/21 (2 games)
Charlie Lindgren: 10/16-10/21 (3 games)
Max Pacioretty: 10/13-10/21 (4 games)
Joel Edmundson: 10/13-10/21 (4 games)
Man Games Lost: 13
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. ET at New Jersey (TNT, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Oct. 27, 7 p.m. ET vs. Minnesota (MNMT, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Oct. 29, 5 p.m. ET vs. San Jose (MNMT, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Nov. 2, 7 p.m. ET vs. New York Islanders (MNMT, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
Nov. 4, 7 p.m. ET vs. Columbus (MNMT, 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio 24/7)
TONIGHT’S GAME The Capitals host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday at Capital One Arena for the first of three meetings between the teams this season. Washington is 77-61-10-7 all-time versus Toronto. Alex Ovechkin has recorded 74 points (41g, 33a) in 56 career games (1.32 P/GP) against Toronto, marking his fourth-highest points-per-game rate against a single franchise (Minnesota: 1.71 P/GP; St. Louis: 1.46 P/GP; Winnipeg: 1.38 P/GP) and his rate highest against an Eastern Conference opponent.
HOME vs. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (All-time)
Record Goals For Goals Against Streak
48-24-4-3 283 217 1 WSH win (12/17/22)
CAPITALS vs. MAPLE LEAFS ALL-TIME (Career Totals)
Games Goals Assists Points
Ovechkin (56) Ovechkin (41) Backstrom (37) Ovechkin (74)
Backstrom (45) Backstrom (10) Ovechkin (33) Backstrom (47)
Carlson (36) Wilson (7) Carlson (25) Carlson (32)
POINT STREAKS
John Carlson – 3 game point streak (1g, 2a), 2 game assist streak (2a)
Alex Ovechkin – 2 game point streak (0g, 3a), 2 game assist streak (2a)
TOP CAPS FACTS
From Friends to Foes
- Defenseman Rasmus Sandin is slated to face his former team for the first time on Tuesday.
- Sandin, who was drafted by Toronto in the first round (29th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, recorded 48 points (10g, 38a) in 140 career games with the Maple Leafs from 2019-23.
- The Capitals acquired Sandin from Toronto for defenseman Erik Gustafsson and Boston’s first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft on Feb. 28.
- Sandin recorded 15 points (3g, 12a) in 19 games with the Capitals last season, including three multi-point efforts in his first four games.
- Sandin set career highs in games played (71), goals (7), assists (28) and points (35) in 2022-23, more than doubling his previous career-high point total (2021-22: 5g-11a–16p in 51 GP).
- This season, Sandin ranks second on the Capitals in ice time per game (22:13) and tied for fourth in blocked shots (7).
Back On Track
- The Capitals enter 2023-24 looking to make the playoffs for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons and the 33rd time in franchise history.
- The Capitals have reached the postseason in 14 of the last 16 seasons, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins (15) and the Boston Bruins (14) as the only teams with as many appearances in the last 16 years.
- Washington hasn’t missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2005-06 and 2006-07, Alex Ovechkin’s first two years in the NHL.
