NHL: Washington 6, Toronto 1

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Alex Ovechkin scored 49 seconds into the game Friday and added four assists in leading the Washington Capitals to a 6-1 mauling of Toronto.

The Capitals won for the sixth time in seven games and moved within a point of New Jersey for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ovechkin scored his 30th goal of the season off a feed from Nicklas Backstrom and then had a hand in the next three Washington scores -- two of which came from Mike Knuble in a span of 2:45 of the second period.

Washington built a 4-0 lead and then rode the goaltending of Jose Theodore, who made 28 saves.

In their previous two games, the Capitals had allowed a combined 11 goals. Their lone loss in the last seven outings was a 7-4 setback to Tampa Bay Tuesday.

All six goals Caps' were surrendered by Vesa Toskala, who was coming off his first shutout in two seasons. Toskala stopped 18 shots.

Washington improved to 15-3-3 at home and will play its next two games on its own ice.