The Maple Leafs came from behind to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were determined to perform well against the Washington Capitals.
Coming off one of their worst performances of the season in a 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, the Leafs had a chance for redemption on Wednesday against the Capitals, a game that marked Oliver Ekman-Larsson's 1,000th NHL appearance.
"It feels special. You always dream about playing that one game in the NHL, and I've had a chance to play 1,000 games, so it's special," Ekman-Larsson shared. "I'm very thankful for every single game."
The Leafs didn’t disappoint the 33-year-old defenseman, rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the third period to secure a 4-3 overtime victory over the Capitals.
After the game, William Nylander revealed that Ekman-Larsson is treating the team to dinner to celebrate the milestone.
When asked what he’d want at the meal, Nylander replied, "I mean, whatever. He's paying. Some expensive wine maybe would be nice," smiling.
Nylander was one of four different Maple Leafs to find the net in the game.
Bobby McMann, playing on a new line with John Tavares and Mitch Marner, recorded a career-high eight shots on goal and was also looking forward to Ekman-Larsson’s celebratory dinner.
"Yeah, I'm excited for that. I'm sure he's got some expensive taste. So it'll be exciting," he said.
To honor Ekman-Larsson, the Leafs debuted a special logo incorporating his "OEL" initials with a "k" added beside the "E" — a nod both to the second letter in "Ekman" and the Roman numeral for 1,000.
Ekman-Larsson wore a hat with the commemorative logo during his pre-game media session, and his teammates sported shirts bearing the design.
The Swedish defenseman has tallied 145 goals and 332 assists over his 1,000-game career. He will be honored at the Leafs' game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday in a pre-game ceremony, where he’ll receive a customary silver stick, a tribute given to all NHL players who reach this milestone.
