TORONTO — Tyler Bozak scored twice and Jonathan Bernier made 35 saves to help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Washington Capitals 6-2 on Saturday night.
Morgan Rielly and Cody Franson scored in the first period, sending Capitals starter Justin Peters to the bench for the second period. Braden Holtby didn’t fare much better, allowing Bozak’s goal on the first shot he faced. David Clarkson then scored to make it 4-1.
Bozak added his second of the night in the period.
Peters returned for the third, allowing Joffrey Lupul’s goal.
Troy Brouwer and Tom Wilson scored for Washington.
Before the game, the Maple Leafs honored Pat Quinn. The former Toronto player, head coach and general manager died in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Sunday. He was 71.
Rielly opened the scoring at 14:15 of the first when his point shot hit a couple of Capitals in front of the net before getting past Peters. Franson made it 2-0, on a power play, beating a screened Peters.
With an assist on Franson’s goal, Mike Santorelli picked up his 100th NHL point.
Bozak made it a three-goal lead 23 seconds into the second, tapping home James van Reimsdyk’s feed.
After Brouwer got the Capitals on the board at 10:27 of the second with his sixth of the season, Clarkson restored Toronto’s three-goal edge.
Bozak gave Toronto a 5-1 lead, redirecting Phil Kessel’s feed up and over the shoulder of Holtby for his 11th of the season. The power-play goal tied Bozak with Kessel for the team lead.
Toronto’s power play, which was 1 for 23 entering the game, went 3 for 4.
Leo Komarov took an elbow to the head from Alex Ovechkin early in the third period and did not return.
During a fight with Tom Wilson with 3 minutes remaining in the third, Korbinian Holzer appeared to accidentally strike linesman Steve Miller.
NOTES: In addition to Quinn, the Maple Leafs paid tribute to former player Murray Oliver. He died Sunday in Minnesota at 77. … The Washington Capitals recalled defenseman Steven Oleksy from their AHL affiliate in Hershey on Saturday and placed Mike Green (upper body) on injured reserve.
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