WASHINGTON — Returning home after a rough go on the road, the Washington Capitals took inspiration from their annual Canine Night, and showed quite a bit more bite against the Toronto Maple Leafs — and it paid off.

The Blackhawks went up 1-0 at 10:21 of the first period. After Dominic Toninato won the face-off in the left circle of the offensive zone and passed it back to Kaiser at the blueline, Kaiser stepped into the slot and got a wrist shot past Woll’s glove.

Logan Thompson earned his second shutout of the season, Jakob Chychrun scored twice and the Washington Capitals rebounded from a pair of ugly losses, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 on Thursday night.

The NHL saw its biggest trade of the season thus far when the Minnesota Wild acquired star defenceman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium and a first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

A thrilling eight seconds may have been the difference in Toronto's 3-2 win over Chicago, but it isn’t tenable going forward.

Joe Bowen recently reflected on the Pat Quinn era in Toronto, which saw the team make strong playoff pushes. The longtime Toronto Maple Leafs announcer looked back fondly on those years in Leafs history. He also praised Quinn for establishing a culture that strived for success.

If you’re a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, there’s been enough good to keep you watching, and enough frustration to stop you from getting comfortable. That’s kind of where the Maple Leafs are living right now.

Marshall Rifai was sent to the AHL's Toronto Marlies on Thursday morning for a conditioning loan, the Maple Leafs announced. The 27-year-old is working his way back from wrist surgery, which he underwent during training camp after picking up an injury in a preseason game.