Music: {allcanada} Ovechkin, Holtby help Capitals shut out Maple Leafs

Sunday, March 1, 2015

{allcanada} Ovechkin, Holtby help Capitals shut out Maple Leafs

ESPN Fantasy Baseball / Yahoo Fantasy Baseball

WASHINGTON – The Washington Capitals broke a three-game losing streak in a 4-0 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Verizon Center on Sunday.

Alex Ovechkin had three points, including his NHL-leading 40th and 41st goals for Washington (34-20-10). Marcus Johansson and Joel Ward scored and goaltender Braden Holtby made 32 saves for his seventh shutout of the season.

Defenseman Tim Gleason, acquired by Washington from the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, skated 18:34 with three hits.

Goaltender James Reimer made 28 saves for Toronto (25-33-5), which has lost a team-record 16 consecutive road games (0-14-2). The Maple Leafs have been outscored 49-15 during the skid.

After the Capitals regrouped in the neutral zone, Ovechkin cut toward the net, beating Reimer from the slot with a wrist shot 33 seconds into the first period. It was Washington's fastest goal to start a game this season.

With the goal, Ovechkin clinched the seventh 40-goal season of his 10-year NHL career, breaking a tie with Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr for the most among active players. He became the 17th player in NHL history to accomplish the feat.

In the second period, Reimer stopped Brooks Orpik's slap shot, but kicked the puck toward Ovechkin, who backhanded the rebound past him at 5:30. One minute later, the Capitals received a power play when Roman Polak tripped Ward. In search of a natural hat trick, Ovechkin fired two shots and missed another.

Perhaps Toronto's best opportunity to score came at 6:42 of the third period when Richard Panik collected Dion Phaneuf's rebound and hit the goal post with a wide-open net. As play continued, a frustrated Panik slammed his stick on the glass.

Johansson scored on the power play at 9:14, his career-high 15th goal. Ward scored an empty-net goal from the neutral zone at 15:07.

The Capitals face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the same day that the Maple Leafs visit the Panthers.

CBS Sports Fantasy Baseball / RotoWire Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit