Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 2: Troy Brouwer scored a pair of goals, including an empty-netter with 3.9 seconds left to seal it, as Washington edged visiting Toronto.

Joel Ward recorded a goal and an assist while Jason Chimera also scored to help the Capitals build a 3-0 lead in the first period. Defenseman Karl Alzner added two assists and Jaroslav Halak turned aside 27 shots – 26 in the final two periods – as Washington won its second straight after a 1-4-1 stretch.

Captain Dion Phaneuf had a goal and an assist while Troy Bodie scored his third of the season for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped two of their last three. James Reimer made 29 saves for Toronto.

Brouwer scored on a one-timer off a Marcus Johansson pass on the power play 3:34 into the contest and Ward’s backhand shot went in off Chimera’s skate 3:23 later. Ward swept home a backhand pass from Dustin Penner at 8:44 with the man advantage before Bodie’s goal from the slot cut Toronto’s deficit to 3-1 with 2:45 left in the first period.

After getting outshot 14-2 in the opening period, the Maple Leafs had a 20-6 edge in the second and Phaneuf’s snap shot from the left point through traffic beat Halak at 8:05. Reimer kept Toronto alive with 12 saves in the third period, but Brouwer slid the puck off the boards and all the way over the line for his 20th goal to end it.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ward reached 20 goals for the first time in his career - his previous high was 17 for Nashville in 2008-09. … Toronto G Drew MacIntyre was the backup for Reimer with G Jonathan Bernier out due to a lower-body injury he sustained in Thursday’s game at Los Angeles. … The Capitals were 2-of-4 on the power play and are 8-of-18 with the man advantage over the last seven contests.