WASHINGTON (AP) — Auston Matthews still gets excited about facing Alex Ovechkin, one of his favorite players growing up. And even with Ovechkin authoring a vintage performance, Matthews found a way to steal the spotlight.
Matthews scored his NHL-leading 56th and 57th goals of the season and matched his career high with five points, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 7-3 rout of the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night despite Ovechkin moving closer to Wayne Gretzky. Meanwhile, Matthews' pursuit of the first 70-goal in more than three decades is back on track.