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Johansson ends Leafs' season, sets up Capitals-Penguins rematch (Video)

Marcus Johansson sent the Washington Capitals back to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday night, scoring six minutes and 31 seconds into overtime to close out their thrilling opening-round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games.

Johansson’s winner, his second of the contest, was scored on the doorstep after retrieving a rebound off a Justin Williams blast off the half boards. It spoiled a sublime effort from Maple Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen, who made 34 stops, but suffered the 2-1 defeat.

The Capitals are moving on to meet the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round for a second straight season. The Penguins knocked off Washington in six games on their way to a second Stanley Cup in the Sidney Crosby era last spring.

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Toronto struck first near the halfway mark of the third period when Morgan Rielly sent a hard rim off the face of a stanchion, which spit the puck in front of the net for the hard-charging Auston Matthews. Cradling it beautifully, Matthews flipped the puck over Braden Holtby’s shoulder and into the roof of the net for his fourth of the series.

Though it felt like overtime from the moment the puck dropped, the Capitals would have the chance to counter the Matthews strike, and did so close to five minutes later. Johansson stuck with a pass from Lars Eller that was initially mishandled, and managed to fit the puck inside the post on the short side when Andersen failed to square up to the shooter, perhaps anticipating a pass.

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The Washington Capitals eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 6 after Marcus Johansson scored his second goal of the game six minutes into overtime. (Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images)

Johansson’s decisive goal capped a fascinating even series between the young Maple Leafs and juggernaut Capitals, which was billed by many as a mismatch.

Each game was decided by one goal, and five of the six required overtime, while Sunday’s series clincher marked the Capitals’ 211th shot on goal, or two fewer than the Leafs targeted on Holtby through six games.

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