TORONTO -- If Sidney Crosby is not at the top of anyone's list of the best players in the game, he is only a notch or two below it.

Justin Williams scored 64 seconds into overtime as the Washington Capitals pulled out a 2-1 thriller over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday to take a 3-2 lead.

Tom Wilson scored two goals, but one he saved could have been the difference Wednesday night as the Washington Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-4.

TORONTO --The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals have been working extra time in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Now the fun really begins.

DETROIT -- The records are nice. The playoffs would be special.

WASHINGTON -- Washington's T.J. Oshie scored the only goal during a shootout, and the Capitals defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Thursday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Leo Komarov, Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Nazem Kadri and Nikita Zaitsev scored goals, and the Toronto Maple Leafs continued their late-season push toward the playoffs with a 5-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Ryan Ellis scored two goals and Pekka Rinne stopped 25 shots Monday night as the Nashville Predators warmed up after a sluggish first period for a 3-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes in Bridgestone Arena.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning, scrapping for every point in a wild-card logjam, picked up two points Thursday night with one of their more impressive wins, surprising the Minnesota Wild in a 4-1 victory at Amalie Arena.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- All three forwards on the Blackhawks' top line scored on Tuesday as Chicago sent a message that the Central Division race might not be over yet. By beating the Wild 5-3, Chicago pulled within five points of Minnesota, which still sits atop the division.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- John Gibson stopped 37 shots and Joseph Cramarossa scored as the Anaheim Ducks shut out the Minnesota Wild 1-0 on Tuesday.

TORONTO -- The St. Louis Blues are doing more than talking about commitment and discipline. They are showing the results that those qualities can bring.

NEW YORK -- There have been bigger and more unexpected comebacks in sports over the last 48 hours than the one accomplished Monday night by the New York Islanders.

PHILADELPHIA -- After allowing 13 goals in three previous appearances, goaltender Carter Hutton had something to prove to coach Mike Yeo and the St. Louis Blues.