Capitals win 8th straight, Ovechkin scores NHL-leading 28th in 5-1 victory over Maple Leafs

WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 28th goal, and the Washington Capitals enjoyed a rare feeling of dominance outside their division Tuesday night, winning their eighth straight with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jack Hillen, Martin Erat, Troy Brouwer and Marcus Johansson also scored, and Braden Holtby made 29 saves for the Southeast Division-leading Capitals.

The Capitals have moved into playoff position by feasting on the weak Southeast, going 14-3 within the division, but they entered Tuesday's game just 9-14-2 against the rest of the Eastern Conference. All but two of those nine wins were by one goal.

So it was a major morale boost that they were able to manhandle Toronto, which is closing in on the franchise's first playoff berth since 2004.

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