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

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray (30) makes a save on Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (left) as Chris Tanev (8) defends during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

TORONTO — 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 Nov. 18 in a game 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.

Takeaways

Maple Leafs: Toronto has lost three of four games without Auston Matthews in the lineup and, oddly, last season’s leading scorer in the NHL appears to be missed on the defensive side of the game. Toronto has allowed at least five goals in each of those four games, and 21 total during that span.

Capitals: Ovechkin played 14 minutes 58 seconds, recorded three hits and three shots in addition to his goal. Washington continued to prove it can thrive without its captain or when he’s not at his best. The Capitals had a 10-5-1 record in 16 games while Ovechkin was injured.

Key moment

Thompson had a hot glove hand throughout the game. Washington’s goalie robbed Toronto forward William Nylander of a sure goal when Thompson dove across the crease to snatch a shot at a yawning cage out of mid-air.

Nylander was Thompson’s victim again in the third period when a deflected power-play shot from the point was scooped by Thompson, who was facing the back of the net. Later that period, a short-handed attempt to tie the game from Mitch Marner was foiled by Thompson’s glove. On the same penalty, Chychrun scored his second and Washington’s fourth goal of the game.

Key stat

With his first-period goal, Tavares extended his point streak to seven games (six goals, six assists) while Marner tacked an eighth game onto his own point streak (three goals, nine assists).

Up next

Maple Leafs: Host the New York Islanders on Tuesday afternoon in the first game of a home-and-home set.

Capitals: Visit the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 28, 2024.

Myles Dichter, The Canadian Press