3 Takeaways - Leafs at Capitals - 10/13/18

LEAFS SURRENDER FIRST GOAL EARLY IN FIRST, BUT PULL EVEN IN SECOND
The Leafs' tilt with the Capitals was the last of a four-game road trip for Toronto, and the Buds allowed the first goal of the night - and the only goal of the period - just 18 seconds into the game. But the Leafs showed resilience early in the second frame, and their work paid off with the game-tying goal at 3:30 of the period:

CAPS RETAKE LEAD AFTER KAPANEN'S GOAL, BUT LINDHOLM, LEIVO SCORE TO GIVE LEAFS FIRST LEAD
Washington answered Kapanen's goal just 69 seconds after Toronto tied it up by going ahead again on centre Evgeny Kuznetsov's fourth goal of the season. However, the Leafs continued to compete well against the Caps, and with 1:07 left before the second intermission, Toronto forward Par Lindholm put his team in front for the first time in the game when he scored his first career NHL goal:

Lindholm's first in a Toronto uniform (and as an NHLer) was captivating for him on a personal basis, but again, the more important element was it showed the Capitals the Leafs weren't going to fold on this occasion. And that gave the Buds confidence entering the third period - confidence that resulted in the Leafs getting a power-play opportunity at the 5:47 mark.
As regular followers of the team this season have come to understand, Toronto's power play is as good as it's been in some time, and winger Josh Leivo underscored that fact when he picked up a rebound on his backhand in front of Holtby, turned the puck to his forehand, and quickly fired it into the net to give the Leafs their first lead of the evening:

    Video: TOR@WSH: Leivo buries PPG in front<br><strong><em>ANDERSEN SUPERB IN LEAFS' ZONE, MATTHEWS SCORES LATE TO EXTEND TORONTO'S WIN STREAK TO FOUR GAMES</em></strong><br>The Capitals had yet to lose on home ice this season, and Toronto was looking to push its win streak to four games, so the competitive energy of the third period was intense. Washington spend one particular stretch late in the third dominating possession in the Leafs' zone, but Buds netminder Frederik Andersen was spectacular in preventing them from tying the game as the minutes ticked away.<br>And then, with 1:39 remaining in regulation time, Matthews put the game out of reach by scoring his 10th goal of the year:  

    Video: TOR@WSH: Matthews scores his 10th goal of the season<br>The game might've been different at that point were it not for Andersen's play. But Matthews had scored a goal in each of the Leafs' previous five games, and this goal extended his league lead in the goals department. And it gave the Leafs a win in all four of their road games thus far, giving them all sorts of confidence as they head home to take on the Los Angeles Kings at Scotiabank Arena Monday night.<br>It's difficult to imagine things going better for Matthews and the Leafs at this point, but they'll continue to need to work hard as competition around the league gets tougher.