Capitals clip Maple Leafs 5-2 [Video]

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 …