NHL playoffs: Maple Leafs force Game 7 with 3-1 win

The Toronto Maple Leafs won this one for their city.

Frederik Andersen stopped 32 shots Monday to lead the Maple Leafs to a 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins, forcing a decisive Game 7 in the first-round series.

The victory came hours after 10 people were killed and 15 injured when a van drove onto a sidewalk in Toronto’s north end and struck multiple pedestrians. Most of the players woke from their pregame naps to learn of the incident at 1:30 p.m.

“We’re sending all our love,” said Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who scored the tiebreaking goal and added an assist. “This is a big win for us after an emotional day.”

There was a moment of silence for the victims and their families before the opening faceoff at Air Canada Centre.

“Very tragic event,” Bruins forward Brad Marchand said.

William Nylander and Tomas Plekanec also scored for Toronto. Nikita Zaitsev added two assists, and Plekanec also had one. The Maple Leafs have won two in a row after falling behind in the series 3-1.

Game 7 is Wednesday night at Boston.

Washington 6, at Columbus 3: The Capitals eliminated the Blue Jackets and can now turn their attention to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Capitals won four in a row over the Blue Jackets after losing the first two in overtime at home, getting two goals from Alex Ovechkin in the clincher, including his 50th playoff goal.

Braden Holtby had 35 saves for the Capitals, who never trailed after winning in overtime in Game 5 on Saturday. After Ovechkin’s second-period goals, Washington never relinquished a two-goal lead. Four of the games in the series went to overtime.

The Capitals will again move on to the conference semifinals after being eliminated by Pittsburgh in the second round in each of the last two seasons.

“I think we accomplished what we believed we could at the beginning of the series,” said Holtby, who relieved a struggling Philipp Grubauer in Game 2 and was great the rest of the way. “We’ll enjoy it a bit, rest up and prepare for the next one.”

Washington coach Barry Trotz didn’t want to talk about Pittsburgh yet.

“Please let me breathe,” he said. “We haven’t taken a breath since this started.”

Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist, and Dimitry Orlov, Devante Smith-Pelly and Lars Eller also scored Monday for Washington, which won each of the three games at Columbus.

“I do know on the road it seems like for whatever reason we’re focused, we’re driven,” Washington forward T.J. Oshie said. “It seems like we almost like it when an opposing team’s crowd gets into it. It almost gets us going, too, and makes you want to quiet them down.”