When the Leafs took an early 2-0 lead in the first period against the Capitals last night, the game quickly turned into a physical match. With the Leafs dressing both Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds tonight to match up against a tough Capitals' lineup, including the infamous Tom Wilson.
As expected, it was Tom Wilson who set the tone for a physical game when he took a goalie interference penalty against Jack Campbell, in what could have been a much uglier collision.
Although Wilson was assessed a penalty on the play, he was later the target of a slew foot from Timothy Liljegren and a fight with Kyle Clifford. The Leafs clearly stuck up for their net-minder, and after the game, Campbell offered a characteristically kind comment.
The Leafs dominated the remainder of the game and cruised to a 7-3 victory, bouncing back after an embarrassing effort against Buffalo. On the other hand, Washington unravelled after beating down on Philly the night prior. Regardless, it was a competitive, physical game from two playoff-bound teams.
