News AP News Matthews extends goal streak, Maple Leafs beat Capitals 4-2

Matthews extends goal streak, Maple Leafs beat Capitals 4-2

Auston Matthews scored a goal in his sixth consecutive game to start the season, Frederick Andersen made 25 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Saturday night.

Matthews extends goal streak, Maple Leafs beat Capitals 4-2 Image Source : APMatthews extends goal streak, Maple Leafs beat Capitals 4-2

WASHINGTON (AP) — Auston Matthews scored a goal in his sixth consecutive game to start the season, Frederick Andersen made 25 saves and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 on Saturday night.

Moments after Andersen made several solid saves to preserve the lead, Matthews provided an insurance score with his NHL-leading 10th goal with 1:39 to play.

Josh Leivo scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period. Kasperi Kapanen had a goal and an assist and Par Lindholm also scored for Toronto, which has won four straight. Jake Gardiner had two assists.

Matthews has scored a goal in all six games this season and has multiple points in each. He also has four assists and joined Sweeny Schriner (1944-45) as the only Maple Leafs to score a goal and have multiple points in the first six games of the season.

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his fourth goal of the season for Washington and added an assist. Chandler Stephenson also scored and Alex Ovechkin had two assists.

Braden Holtby made 24 saves for Washington.

The Maple Leafs went undefeated on their four-game road trip.

It took Washington just 18 seconds to take a 1-0 lead. Evgeny Kuznetsov carried in 2-on-1 with Stephenson and Andersen made the initial save on Kuznetsov, but Stephenson poked home the rebound for his first goal of the season.

Toronto had several chances to tie in the first. Holtby made big saves on Zach Hyman and Kasperi Kapanen, both alone in front, and the Maple Leafs hit the post twice.

The Maple Leafs tied it at 3:30 of the second period when Kapanen deflected Ron Hainsey's shot from the left point through a crowd and past Holtby.

Just 69 seconds later, Kuznetsov fired a tough-angle shot over Andersen's shoulder from the bottom of the right circle for a power-play goal.

Lindholm tied it when he redirected Jake Gardiner's pass by Holtby with 67 seconds left in the period for his first career goal.

NOTES: This was the first of three straight home games for Washington. ... Holtby fell to 57-19-9 on Saturday nights. . D Justin Holl, D Martin Marincin and C Tyler Ennis were the Toronto scratches. Washington sat C Jayson Megna, D Madison Bowey and LW Nathan Walker.

UP NEXT

Toronto: Returns home and plays the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.

Washington: Hosts the New York Rangers on Tuesday.

Disclaimer: This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Associated Press (AP) wire.