Capitals Defeat Maple Leafs 5-2 in Ovechkin's Return

In a significant game for both teams, the Washington Capitals defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2, marking the return of captain Alex Ovechkin after a leg injury. The Maple Leafs initially took the lead with a goal from John Tavares, but the Capitals quickly equalized through Andrew Mangiapane and then took control with goals from Jakob Chychrun and Nic Dowd. Tom Wilson extended the Capitals' lead with a power-play goal in the third period, while Ovechkin sealed the victory with an empty-net goal, bringing his career total to 869 and placing him 25 goals shy of Wayne Gretzky's record. The Capitals improved their record to 24-9-2 with this win, while the Maple Leafs struggled without star player Auston Matthews, suffering their third loss in four games. Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson was instrumental in the victory, making 35 saves throughout the match. Coach Spencer Carbery noted the team's resilience in overcoming initial rust after the break, highlighting the importance of this win.