Gagne scores in return to Flyers

PHILADELPHIA — Claude Giroux scored 23 seconds in, and Simon Gagne added a goal in his first game back with the Flyers as Philadelphia rolled to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

Wayne Simmonds gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead less than four minutes later, and Gagne scored his first goal of the season in the second period, one day after being reacquired by the Flyers from the Los Angeles Kings.

Max Talbot stretched the advantage to 4-0 in the second, chasing goalie Braden Holtby to the bench just one day following his home shutout of Carolina. Talbot’s slap shot hit the camera inside the net and quickly ricocheted out.

Ilya Bryzgalov made 23 saves and was in line for a shutout until Joel Ward tipped in his own deflection with 2:09 left to cut the Capitals’ deficit to 4-1.

Canadiens 5, Maple Leafs 2

TORONTO — Brendan Gallagher, Max Pacioretty and Brian Gionta scored third-period goals in the Canadiens’ win.

Gallagher scored his sixth of the season 9:08 into the third to break a 2-2 tie. Pacioretty cemented the win with his sixth goal — and second of the game — at 14:26. Gionta added an empty-net tally with 2:26 left.

Pacioretty also scored in the second period, and defenseman Alexei Emelin got Montreal on the board in the first period.

Frazer McLaren and Clarke MacArthur scored for Toronto (12-9), which had won three straight at home.

This victory was payback for the Canadiens (13-4-3), who were routed by the Maple Leafs 6-0 in Montreal on Feb. 9. Since then, the Canadiens have gone 7-0-2.

Montreal outshot Toronto 40-23 before a season-high Air Canada Centre crowd of 19,625.