TORONTO — It was as if the puck was a pinball, launched off the stick of Alex Ovechkin, then careened off the body of a Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, changing direction to find the shin pad of Marcus Johansson. It took one last bounce into the netting, past helpless goaltender Jonathan Bernier, the one goal scored on him that no one would dare blame him for.
Johansson raised his arms as if to signal a touchdown and turned to Ovechkin, mirroring the motion. The goal was the game-winner in the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 win on Saturday night that moved them into first place in the Metropolitan Division with 35 points in 23 games.