wild/nhl

Final Score: Toronto 3, Washington 2

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - James van Riemsdyk netted two goals as the Toronto Maple Leafs edged the Washington Capitals, 3-2, at Verizon Center.

Korbinian Holzer also scored, while Ben Scrivens stopped 24 shots for Toronto, which snapped a two-game slide.

Marcus Johansson and Mike Ribeiro lit the lamp for the Capitals, who have lost two straight and four of their last five.

Michal Neuvirth made 18 saves in defeat.

"We have got to find a way to win. That's all that matters. How we do it doesn't really matter," said Johansson.

Toronto struck first 10:00 into the first period thanks to some careless play by the Capitals, as Neuvirth left a puck behind the net for defenseman Tom Poti, but van Riemsdyk came racing down the ice and grabbed it first.

Van Riemsdyk then wrapped a quick shot around the left side of the net before Neuvirth could get back into position for the 1-0 lead.

The Maple Leafs added to their advantage less than three minutes later when a defensive zone turnover by Washington led to van Riemsdyk batting his own rebound in from the right side of the net.

"I got some lucky bounces and I was able to put them in," van Riemsdyk said about his goals.

The Capitals got a goal back with 2:56 left in the first period while on the power play after Tomas Kundratek sent a pass from the left circle down to Johansson at the right of the net, where he kicked the puck to his stick before lifting a shot over the glove of Scrivens to make it a 2-1 game heading into the second period.

Toronto, however, regained its two-goal lead at the 10:34 mark of the middle stanza with Holzer's snap shot from the right point that skipped through the legs of Neuvirth.

Ribeiro snuck a wrister over Scrivens' shoulder from the right circle while on the power play 6:47 into the third period to bring Washington back within 3-2, but the Capitals could not net the equalizer as Scrivens made 10 saves in the third period to hang on.

Game Notes

Kundratek's assist on Johansson's goal was his first career point ... Holzer collected his first career goal ... Toronto improved to 4-1-0 on the road this season ... Washington fell to 2-4-0 at home ... Washington's Nicklas Backstrom had an assist and has now recorded a point in five straight games. He has a goal and five assists in that span.