Toronto Maple Leafs pummel Washington Capitals 7-3, Matthews snubbed from hattrick on five-point night

The Toronto Maple Leafs delivered a dominant performance as they pummeled the Washington Capitals 7-3 on Wednesday night. Auston Matthews led the charge with two goals and matched his career high with five points, reigniting his pursuit of the elusive 70-goal milestone.

The goaltending was few and far between for Joseph Woll and Charlie Lindgren. With both goalies playing on limited rest, the goals were aplenty as both netminders had saves that registered a tick over 20 saves.

3 takeaways from the Toronto Maple Leafs rolling the Washington Capitals 7-3

The Toronto Maple Leafs' 7-3 victory over the Washington Capitals offered several key takeaways. The Toronto Maple Leafs top two lines dominated the game, putting up huge numbers on the scoreboard across the night.

Secondly, Alex Ovechkin's continued pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring was extended with a massive two goal night.

The performance was a follow up to his two goal night two nights ago. Ovechkin is now just 49 goals away from tying up Wayne Gretzky for the best all time.

Lastly, Toronto's proficiency on the power play played a crucial role in their victory. In their resurgence as a team in the past three weeks, the power play has been a boon for a team that has needed to rely on their superstars to go out and dominate a game.

#1 Leafs' Top Two Lines Dominate

Toronto's top two lines showcased their offensive firepower, overwhelming the Capitals with a relentless attack.

Led by Auston Matthews and supported by the likes of William Nylander, Max Domi, and others, the Maple Leafs' forward depth proved to be too much for Washington to handle. Five of the seven goals on the night came from the top two lines of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

#2 Alex Ovechkin Pulls Within 50 of Wayne Gretzky Record

Despite the Capitals' defeat, Alex Ovechkin continued his march towards hockey immortality, scoring two goals to bring his career total to 845.

With each goal, Ovechkin inches closer to Wayne Gretzky's all-time record, highlighting his status as one of the greatest goal scorers in NHL history. Ovechkin is only 48 goals away from history.

#3 Toronto Maple Leafs Power Play Dominates

The Maple Leafs capitalized on their opportunities with the man advantage, scoring two power-play goals to further extend their lead.

Toronto's lethal power play unit proved to be a difference-maker in the game, exploiting the Capitals' penalty kill and showcasing their offensive prowess.