GLB's three stars of the game:

⭐️ Jakob Chychrun (1G, 4 SOG, 2 blocks, 2 hits)
⭐️⭐️ Connor McMichael (1G, 1A, +2, 5 SOG, 1 hit)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Logan Thompson (20 SV, .909 SV%)

#ALLCAPS

Don't look now, but the Capitals are on a three-game win streak again, and have won six of their last seven. Next up is the Islanders, on their Island, in an even earlier start (1 PM Sunday). The Caps won their first meeting at UBS Arena, the Islanders won on Halloween in DC.

All Washington really needs to do to improve on what's already been working, aside from fixing the power play and maybe assembling a roster that has 12 NHL-level forwards, is finish with confidence and adjust quicker to a goalie's strengths on a given night. They could put games away even faster.

The Caps power play got two cracks at it, and it was a mixed bag. The first go actually was pretty good, not converting but still looking dangerous and getting chances. The second one, that was the Caps power play we're used to, where not only does nothing good happen, but bad things (almost) do.

Toward the end it felt like Toronto could have gone on the PK even more, like one instance when Ryan Leonard essentially had to carry two Leafs on his back with and without the puck, but nothing too egregious. No one's really complaining about a fast-moving, non-violent game on either side.

I really loved seeing the Capitals not take a single penalty. I do think they played cleanly all game, but it couldn't have hurt that referee Kelly Sutherland admitted that he screwed them out of a goal early and told Trevor van Riemsdyk "I owe you one." Not ideal reffing, but it is the norm.

Connor McMichael played maybe the most CMM game he's had this season, unless I'm forgetting one. Super aggressive with five shots and four more that went wide, getting the team's first goal and an assist on Chychrun's, you could really see the confidence he's regained.

Dylan Strome got a nice secondary assist on Beauvi's goal, but he also had a moment during a 2-on-1 with Ovechkin where he totally killed it by doing nothing. He's seemed a bit off for most of the season, and I wonder what it is and when it'll resolve.

Hendrix Lapierre and Sonny Milano were pretty buried, skating only 5:39 and 6:39 respectively. They were both a -1 with no shots or much of anything to speak of. I have to wonder how long it is before the team fully moves on from them, and whether their replacements come from Hershey or outside.

Loved seeing Justin Sourdif taking that late D-zone draw after the icing. With Dowd out, JS has fully assumed a lot of his checking and defensive roles and he's done well with them. Some offensive chances that just wouldn't go, nothing new there. He skated over 18 minutes tonight, a career high.

Outside the two JCs, the defense was impressive and impactful on both ends. Sandin and van Riemsdyk both logged some shots, Fehérváry and Roy were each a +2, the six D-men combined for nine blocked shots and five hits. Toronto only got 20 shots and about 44% of the attempts.

I wanted to see John Carlson do more on offense, seeing as he created yet another goal for the opposition, but he was pretty quiet on both ends. Three shots on goal, not nothing, but not quite enough.

Jakob Chychrun is still on his unbelievable run. Points in ten straight games (points in 17 of 25 this season) and six goals in the last five. His game-winning goal was absolutely huge.

Of course it helped that Logan Thompson kept the team in it and had some fantastic saves. Joseph Woll on the other end was also great, but the Caps figured out as the game went on how to get past him, leading to those three goals that got by.

The McMichael goal in the second period felt earned and inevitable, after a couple strong shifts. Beauvillier's and Chychrun's were more spectacular, coming off some great passes, and rallied the team and the crowd. Toronto's pulled-goalie time couldn't stop that train once it got moving.

Until the last half of the last period, it felt like it was going to be a frustrating 2-1 or 3-1 loss. The Capitals just weren't getting the finishing they needed, and the Leafs were doing just enough. Washington outplayed Toronto all game, but it wasn't rewarded until the end.