Ovechkin's empty-netter in return punctuates win over Leafs

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin returned to the lineup in style Saturday night, scoring an empty-net goal to secure a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ovechkin's goal raised his total to 16 on the season and 869 for his career.

The veteran forward led the league with 15 goals in 18 games before getting hurt. He's now 26 tallies away from passing Wayne Gretzky for the NHL's all-time record.

Ovechkin missed the previous 16 games with a fractured left fibula. He suffered the leg injury in a knee-on-knee collision with Utah Hockey Club forward Jack McBain on Nov. 18.

The Capitals captain was given a recovery timeline of four-to-six weeks, and Saturday's return puts him right around the five-week mark. This was the longest injury absence of Ovechkin's 20-season career.

The 39-year-old took up his usual position with Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas.

Washington went 10-5-1 in Ovechkin's absence and occupied the second spot in the Metropolitan Division with a 23-9-2 record coming out of the holiday break.

"The obvious thing (Ovechkin brings) is the goal-scoring," head coach Spencer Carbery said pregame, per ESPN's Kristen Shilton. "But I even just think the threat of him being able to score, I think it lifts up our entire group.

"Him being in the lineup, his presence, his infectious personality, demeanor, and him being on the ice ... everybody in the building, along with our 19 other players, believes that he can score and that lifts our entire group up."