Capitals clip Maple Leafs 5-2, Ovechkin scores in return from injury

Alex Ovechkin scored an empty-net goal in his return to action as the Washington Capitals upended the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday.

Andrew Mangiapane, Jakob Chychrun, Nic Dowd, and Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals, while John Tavares and Bobby McMann replied for the Leafs.

Washington’s captain, Ovechkin, played his first game since he fractured his left fibula on Nov. 18 in a game against the Utah Hockey Club. 

Ovechkin was held off the scoresheet Saturday until firing the puck into an empty net for his 869th career goal, which moves him within 25 of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL mark of 894.

Tavares put Toronto on the board first when he deflected a point shot from Simon Benoit past Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson just over three minutes into the first period.

But Mangiapane responded 92 seconds later with a shot off a two-on-one rush that barely squeaked through Leafs goalie Matt Murray’s pads.

Chychrun gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead heading into the second period when McMann drew the hosts even by depositing a pass from Max Domi into the back of the net.

The Capitals responded quickly with Dowd’s go-head goal just one minute 43 seconds after McMann’s marker. 

Wilson provided the insurance marker on a third-period power play, deflecting home a Chychrun shot from the point.

Thompson stopped 35 shots for the win. Murray made 27 saves.