Capitals romp in Ovechkin's return

WASHINGTON - Alexander Ovechkin picked up an assist in his return to the Washington lineup, Chris Clark and Ben Clymer each had a goal and an assist and the Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1 on Friday night.

Ovechkin, the NHL's Offensive Player of the Month for January, missed Washington's previous game with a groin injury. The Capitals lost 5-3 to the New York Islanders without their start rookie.

He took a pounding from the Maple Leafs' defense, but with an assist on Mike Green's first career goal in the first period, Ovechkin moved within one point of Washington's rookie scoring record. Bob Carpenter and Chris Valentine each scored 67 points in 1981-82.

Washington goalie Olie Kolzig made 25 saves.

Toronto has dropped two in a row and is 1-8-2 in its past 11 games.

The Maple Leafs took a 1-0 lead on Mats Sundin's goal with 4:54 left in the first period. The goal also ended a seven-game streak without goals for Sundin.

But Green tied it 21 seconds later, firing a low shot past goalie Ed Belfour after Ovechkin's crossing pass.

Brooks Laich gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead 56 seconds into the second period when he grabbed a misfired clear in front of Belfour, spun and scored. Clymer and Clark added third-period insurance goals.

Belfour and Kolzig had a brief meeting at the back end of a first-period brawl where five players earned penalties - including both goalies.

BLACKHAWKS: Chicago claimed goaltender Craig Anderson off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

Anderson will rejoin the Blackhawks for Saturday's game against Nashville.

Also, the club assigned goalie Corey Crawford to Norfolk of the American Hockey League.

FLYERS: Philadelphia signed rookie defenseman Freddy Meyer to a two-year contract extension on Friday.

Terms were not announced.

The 25-year-old Meyer has four goals and seven assists for 11 points and 17 penalty minutes in 28 games for the Flyers this season. He is tied for third among NHL rookies with plus-11 rating.