Maple Leafs fly past Capitals in high-paced affair

​Mitch Marner set up a pair of goals and Auston Matthews scored for the second straight game as the Toronto Maple Leafs ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday night.

Marner set up goals from Matt Martin and James van Riemsdyk, while Matthews notched his first goal at home in more than a month and second in as many games. Andersen came close to his first shutout in a Leafs uniform, beaten twice on 35 shots in Toronto's first victory in more than a week (Nov. 17) and eighth in 11 games at home (8-3-0).

Nazem Kadri added his ninth goal of the year.

Braden Holtby was sharp for the Capitals, still yielding four goals on 37 shots for Washington (13-6-2). Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson both scored in defeat.

Off since a Wednesday night shootout loss in New Jersey and facing a Washington squad playing their third game in four nights, the Leafs appeared the much fresher team in the early-going. They owned the bulk of the opening frame, the action taking place almost entirely in the Capitals end.

Martin opened the scoring less than three minutes in when he snuck behind the Washington tandem of John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov and beat Holtby for his second goal of the season and second in as many games. The 27-year-old, who went the first 19 games of the year without a goal, was set up beautifully on the play by Marner, the 19-year-old firing a dart from one blue-line to the other for his 17th point of the season.

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Maple Leafs fly past Capitals in high-paced affair