Matthews' 3rd-period goal lifts Maple Leafs over Capitals in home opener

Auston Matthews scored the winner in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 in their home opener Thursday.

John Tavares and Calle Jarnkrok had the other goals for Toronto. Morgan Rielly added two assists.

Ilya Samsonov made 24 saves against his former team as the Leafs (1-1-0) rebounded from a disappointing 4-3 road loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Wednesday's curtain-raiser.

Charlie Lindgren stopped 36 shots for the Capitals (0-2-0), who were coming of a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins in their home opener 24 hours earlier.

With both teams playing the second of a back-to-back, there wasn't much ice available in the third period until Mark Giordano found a seam on a point shot that Matthews got a piece of with his stick before it handcuffed Lindgren and dribbled over the goal line, snapping a 2-2 tie at 6:55.

WATCH | Matthews scores 1st goal of season in win over Capitals:

The reigning Hart Trophy winner and 60-goal man's first point of the season allowed the team to exhale after head coach Sheldon Keefe ripped Toronto's performance in Montreal a night earlier.

Jarnkrok then fired wide on a short-handed 2-on-1 before Lindgren also denied Mitch Marner on another chance to keep the visitors within striking distance at Scotiabank Arena.

Samonov and his new teammates were then forced to hold on late with the Leafs short-handed on two occasions inside the final four minutes and Lindgren on the bench for an extra attacker to seal the win.

Toronto opened the scoring at 6:40 of the first on a power play that finally clicked after a couple great chances when Rielly found Tavares at the lip of the crease with a slick feed.

Let's take a MOment to appreciate this pass!