Maple Leafs fend off feisty Capitals

Last Updated: Thursday, January 24, 2008 | 1:22 AM ET

CBC Sports

With Cliff Fletcher watching — and evaluating — in earnest, the Toronto Maple Leafs pulled out a 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

Fletcher, who served as president and GM of the Maple Leafs from 1991 to 1997, was rehired Tuesday as interim general manager until a full-time GM can be found to replace fired John Ferguson Jr.

Vesa Toskala foils Alexander Semin in Wednesday's 3-2 Leafs triumph.
(Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

"It was good to get a win in his first game," Maple Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala said. "It was a huge two points for us."

It marked Toronto's fourth win in five games — the first under Fletcher's second watch — and moved the Maple Leafs into a tie with the idle Florida Panthers for 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

"We really kept building on some of the good things we have been doing," Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin said.

Sundin, brought to Toronto by Fletcher in 1994, scored the winning goal with 29.2 seconds remaining, slipping a rebound under Capitals netminder Olaf Kolzig. 

"I snuck it underneath him," Sundin said. "With everything that has happened, we all feel pressure to win." 

It was Sundin's 21st goal this season and 544th in the NHL, tying him with the legendary Maurice (Rocket) Richard for 24th on the all-time scoring list.

"We have got bigger and more important things to think about right now," Sundin said. "But Rocket Richard was a player we all know about, and to score as many as him and be mentioned with him is a great honour."

Sundin and Alex Steen had one goal and one assist apiece for the Maple Leafs (20-22-8), who went 145-110-30 during Ferguson's tenure yet are in danger of missing the playoffs for a third straight season. 

"Everybody feels it is time to pull up their socks," Sundin said.

Chad Kilger opened the scoring for Toronto, Nik Antropov had two assists, and Toskala posted 30 saves compared to Kolzig's 21.

"There was a lot of talk surrounding the team the last six weeks and we've tried to keep our focus," Kilger said. "We know we have a good team, we just have to prove it."
  
Alexei Ponikarovsky reportedly sustained a right shoulder injury when hit into the end boards from behind by Steve Eminger 12 minutes into the contest.

'Didn't contain them'

Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin replied in a losing cause for the Capitals (22-22-5), who had won four games in a row.

"We didn't give up," Capitals defenceman Tom Poti said. "But we didn't play our best hockey."

"They [Maple Leafs] played very good," said Bruce Boudreau, who is 16-8-4 since replacing Glen Hanlon as Capitals head coach last Nov. 22.

"From the bench, we recognized their spurts and their pushes. We just didn't contain them."

Kilger staked Toronto to a 1-0 lead at 7:12 of the first period, tipping rookie Anton Stralman's alert pass from the point by Kolzig for his ninth.

Ovechkin tied it 2:27 into the second period as he retrieved a loose puck in the slot and beat Toskala high to the stick side for his 10th goal in as many games against the Maple Leafs.

Ovechkin extended his current scoring streak to six games and leads the NHL with 39 goals.

It remained 1-1 until Sundin slid a backhand pass from behind the net out front to Steen, who buried his 10th with 76 seconds left in the second. 

Steen has scored three times in his past four games.

Semin tied it 2-2 on a splendid move, faking a shot to freeze Toskala and scoring his 12th on a backhand deke with 6:53 to go in regulation.

With files from the Canadian Press