GAME 2 REVIEW: Six-Pack of Goals Lead Caps Over Leafs

The Washington Capitals got six goals from five different players, as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead, and cruised home with a 6-4 victory over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs before a capacity crowd at D.C.'s Verizon Center.

It was Washington's eighth consecutive home opening victory.

"You felt like you were in a piranha fish tank," Toronto coach Ron Wilson said. "We were getting quality scoring chances, without a doubt, but you can't trade chance for chance with a team like that."

Alex Ovechkin, back-to-back Hart Trophy winner, started the scoring 1:17 into the game.  Ovie took a long pass from Nicklas Backstrom, took Toronto's blue line, then used the defenseman as a screen as he flicked the puck glove-side past Vesa Toskala, who had a rough period and was replaced for the second period.

"It's unbelievable," said Toskala, replaced in net by Jonas Gustavsson at the start of the second period. "It seems everywhere they go, the puck is following them."

Mike Knuble scored mid-way through the period, and Brooks Laich scored his third goal of the campaign on a breakaway four and a half minutes later.

"It was a nice play by Juicy [Milan Jurcina].  He made a nice stretch pass and I was able to slip behind the D-man."

"It was nice to get a fancy one, so to say, for once."

Three more second period goals, two from Alexander Semin and one from Brendan Morrison, pushed the lead to 6-1.

Goalie Semyon Varlamov was outstanding in the first two frames.  He made several solid kick saves and held his own when the outcome was still in doubt.  He made 27 saves in the game, and was not faulted by couach Bruce Boudreau.

Defensive letdowns led to three unanswered Leafs goals, and had the Caps not killed a late penalty it could have gotten ugly.  Boudreau was satisfied with the performance, but wanted to use it as a teaching tool as well.

"I told the guys, it was a great win, it was a great start, but we have to learn to how win six-to-one... and not think we're going to win nine-to-one."

"Hopefully this was a cheap lesson for us."

Washington is off until Tuesday night, when they face the Flyers in Philadelphia at 7:00 pm.  Philly is off to a 2-0-0 start, beating Carolina 2-0 Friday night and New Jersey tonight 5-2.

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SCORESHEET

1ST PERIOD

01:17 Alex Ovechkin (3), Snap Shot. Assist: Backstrom, Semin

09:12 Power Play - Mike Knuble (1), Wrist Shot. Assist: Clark, Ovechkin

13:53 Brooks Laich (3), Wrist Shot. Assist: Jurcina, Morrison

2ND PERIOD

04:23 Lee Stempniak (1), Wrist Shot. Assist: White, Mitchell

05:27 Alexander Semin (1), Wrist Shot. Assist: Erskine

10:42 Brendan Morrison (1), Backhand Shot. Assist: Green, Laich

16:02 Alexander Semin (2), Backhand Shot. Assist: Ovechkin, Backstrom

3RD PERIOD

02:04 Alexei Ponikarovsky (2), Wrist Shot. Assist: Finger

05:18 Mikhail Grabovski (1), Tip-In. Assist: Schenn, Ponikarovsky

17:57 Niklas Hagman (1), Snap Shot. Assist: Grabovski, Kaberle

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THREE STARS

1. A. Semin - WAS (Goals: 2, Assists: 1)

2. A. Ovechkin - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 2)

3. B. Laich - WAS (Goals: 1, Assists: 1)