Maple Leafs Even Series Against Capitals with Double-OT Win in Game 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs got revenge on the Washington Capitals, evening up their Eastern Conference playoff series with a 4-3 double-overtime win in Game 2 on Saturday at Verizon Center. 

Kasperi Kapanen got to play hero for the Maple Leafs with two goals, including the game-winner with eight minutes remaining in the second overtime. Brian Boyle made the play, deking Washington goalie Braden Holtby with a fantastic behind-the-back pass. 

TSN's Mark Masters noted Kapanen has a knack for coming up huge in critical moments:

Both teams went back and forth throughout the contest. Toronto took an early lead at the end of the first period on James van Riemsdyk's goal, as the Maple Leafs relayed on Twitter:

The second period saw an offensive outburst from both teams as they combined for four goals, capped off when Morgan Rielly beat Holtby with 14 seconds left for a 3-2 lead, as the NHL showed:  

The Maple Leafs' margin would stick until the 13th minute of the third period when Nicklas Backstrom evened things up with a rebound goal just out of Frederik Andersen's reach. The Capitals showed the action on Twitter:

These teams have gotten very familiar with each other through two games in the series. The Capitals won Game 1 by a 3-2 final in overtime and decided to outdo themselves Saturday with a marathon session. 

Naturally, as with any marathon game in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the internet was bunched up in knots anxiously awaiting a winner:

Both teams had golden opportunities to win throughout the overtime periods. Andersen had a fantastic sequence midway through the first overtime that kept the Maple Leafs alive, seen here courtesy of the NHL:

Holtby showed his skills in the second overtim, stopping a shot by Boyle right in front of the net that could have turned into a disaster for the Capitals.

The panic level in Washington is on the rise after it lost Game 2. The Capitals, who won the Presidents' Trophy during the regular season, fell behind quickly, 2-0, against Toronto in Game 1 before scoring three unanswered goals. 

The Capitals were unable to hold a 2-1 lead or score in the final 47 minutes of game time to hold serve on their home ice. They gave Toronto an opening that it took full advantage of, as the Leafs head back home for Game 3 with a chance to take control of the series.