POSTGAME NOTEBOOK: Caps 3, Leafs 2

Special Delivery - The Caps have certainly endured some ups and downs on special teams this season, but Washington got a stellar special teams performance on Thursday night in Toronto and it was just enough for the Caps to push past the Leafs, 3-2.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 14th power-play goal of the season - and the 650th goal of his NHL career - early in the second period to stake the Caps to a 1-0 lead. Washington's second goal of the game was its lone even-strength goal of the night, but it came 14 seconds after Washington completed its first penalty-killing mission of the game.
Leading 2-1 and with the Leafs pressing for the equalizer early in the third, Caps defenseman John Carlson took a wise and wily hooking penalty to prevent a sure tying goal from Toronto's Zach Hyman, who was staring at half of a vacant net when Carlson fouled him.
Nearly a minute into that kill, Lars Eller and Tom Wilson took off on a two-on-one shorthanded rush. The former fed the latter, who buried it for the third shorthanded goal of his NHL career. It turned out to be the game-winner.
Washington's defense bent but did not break against a prolific and deep Toronto attack, limiting them to just two goals - both in the third period - thanks to a 40-save effort from goaltender Braden Holtby, who faced half of his 42-shot workload in the third period.
There's No Place Like Home -Wilson hails from Toronto, and he grew up as a Maple Leafs fan. His game-winning, shorthanded goal on Thursday was his fourth career goal against his hometown team, and he has scored all four of them in the nine games he has played in Toronto.
"It's always nice coming home for sure," says Wilson. "I love it here - a lot of fond memories. It's a tough building to play in; they've got a good team over there. And it was a first to hear some of the boo birds out there. That was different, but nice to leave with a win."
In addition to his game-winning goal, Wilson set up the Caps' second goal on the forecheck. He separated Toronto defenseman Jake Gardiner from the puck, enabling Lars Eller to swoop in, collect it and feed Brett Connolly in front to give the Caps a 2-0 lead a few minutes past the midpoint of the second period.
"Yeah, his hometown," says Ovechkin. "I wish I played in Moscow one time - Capitals-Toronto - I'd be pumped, too."
Wilson's goal was his 16th of the season, adding to his career best. He has reached the 30-point plateau for the second straight season, needing only 42 games to get there this time around.
"His game has grown so much in the last year and a half, two years," says Caps coach Todd Reirden. "It's remarkable. He just brings such a different element to whoever he ends up playing with, to create on the forecheck and we were able to convert on that, and he scores a shorthanded goal.
"I thought he was a real factor tonight and had a strong game. He was a big difference maker tonight."
Fifteen, Times Three - Connolly's goal is his 15th of the season, the third time in as many seasons he has reached that mark. Connolly scored 15 goals in 66 games in his first season as a member of the Capitals in 2016-17, and he scored 15 in 70 games last season.
This time around, Connolly scored No. 15 in the Caps' 61st game of the season, leaving him a quarter of a season with which to improve upon his career high. Along with Dmitry Orlov and Jakub Vrana, Connolly is one of only three Capitals who have suited up for every game in 2018-19.
"It's been a great three years here," says Connolly. "I really feel my game has turned a corner since I came here and with everything that happened last year and winning, I came into this year with just a whole new outlook on the game, and a new mindset for how I need to play and more confidence. It makes a big difference.
"It's been another great year with such a good group of guys that make it a lot easier on me. I just get to go play and have fun and do my best and it's been a good three years for sure."
There are 121 players with 15 or more goals this season, and Connolly ranks 120th in average ice time (13:27 per game) among that group. Last season, he ranked 187th in ice time (12:00 per game) among the league's 187 skaters with 15 or more goals. In 2016-17, Connolly ranked 174th out of 174 players (10:41 per game) with 15 or more goals.
In short, he has scored 15 goals in three straight seasons despite limited ice time and power play time. Only six of Connolly's 45 goals over the past three seasons have come on the man advantage.
"It's been relatively all even-strength minutes," says Reirden, "and not a ton of them either, just because he falls in between sometimes after power plays and penalty kills and trying to get certain other guys out there match-up wise. So it says a lot about his ability to finish in those situations.
"That was a huge goal for us after a forecheck to be able to convert in a tight area. He has got elite skill and I think he has really earned the year he has had this year. He came in ready to go to start the year, and I'm not surprised to see him playing with the most confidence he has had."
By The Numbers - Carlson led the Caps with 26:43 in ice time … Nicklas Backstrom led Washington with four shots on net … Carlson led the Caps with nine shot attempts … The Capitals outhit the Leafs 35-17, getting five hits each from Wilson, Nic Dowd and Brooks Orpik … Wilson and Orpik led the Capitals with four blocked shots each … The Caps and Leafs combined to miss the net 51 times in Thursday's game. Washington missed the net 25 times and Toronto missed on 26 shot tries … The Caps won only two of 13 first-period face-offs (15 percent). The Caps finished the night with 17 wins in 53 draws (32 percent).