The Washington Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4 in game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal on Wednesday night. The series is now tied 2-2. Game 5 is set for Friday night at Verizon Center. Puck drop is 7:00 PM. 

Braden Holtby got the start in goal for the Capitals. Frederik Andersen got the start between the pipes for the Maple Leafs.

Karl Alzner was scratched for the second consecutive game due to an upper body injury.

Once again, Nate Schmidt replaced Alzner and was paired with John Carlson.

Taylor Chorney and Paul Carey were the healthy scratches for game four.

QUICK NOTES:

• Once again the Capitals would grab an early 2-0 lead with goals by Oshie and Ovechkin.
• The Capitals would total four goals in the first period, heading to the intermission leading 4-1.
• Tom Wilson scored two goals.
• T.J. Oshie scored two goals in the game.

FIRST PERIOD:
T.J. Oshie would notch the game’s first tally with the follow-up of a rebound at 2:58 of the opening frame.

John Walton’s call:

Alex Ovechkin would make it 2-0 with a laser from the top of the left circle at 4:34 of the first period. The goal came on the game’s first power play.

John Walton:

The Leaf’s would respond with a quick goal by Zach Hyman at 5:16 of the first period.

Tom Wilson would make it 3-1 with a deflected shot by Lars Eller at 13:41 of the opening frame.

John Walton’s call:

Tom Wilson would make it 4-1 with a nice finish of a 2-on-1 at 16:04 of the first period.

John Walton:

The first period would end with the Capitals leading 4-1. The Capitals outshot the Leafs 15-6 for the opening frame. Shot attempts were 26-14, scoring chances 11-8 in favor of the Capitals.

SECOND PERIOD:
The Leafs would make it 4-2 with a power play goal by James van Riemsdyk at 5:39 of the middle frame. The shot was deflected in off of Dmitry Orlov’s skate. The goal came after a holding the stick penalty on Nicklas Backstrom.

That would be all of the scoring for the second period, as the Capitals led 4-2 after two periods of play. The Capitals ended the second period with two consecutive penalties, giving the Leafs a 5-on-3 for the first 1:55 at the start of the third period. Shots on goal were 24-15 through two periods of play. 5v5 shot attempts 44-24.

THIRD PERIOD:
Auston Matthews would close the gap to 4-3 with a goal at the 12:00 mark of the final frame.

T.J. Oshie would get the two-goal lead back for the Capitals with a beautiful follow up at 12:58 of the final frame, making it 5-3.

John Walton with the call:

The Maple Leafs would add a 6-5 goal at 19:33 of the final frame by Tyler Bozak.  The Capitals would hang on for the win. John Walton with the final call:

By Jon Sorensen
Follow @NoVa_Caps

SCENES FROM TORONTO:

🤜🤛 @nateschmidt29 #RockTheRed pic.twitter.com/sxYX6BRbJh

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 19, 2017