Maple Leafs Quiet Capitals

It took Adam Mair half a period to do what Todd Warriner struggled to do all season score a goal.

Mair, who was recalled earlier in the day from St. John's of the AHL and didn't arrive in Toronto until 2 1/2 hours before the game, scored his first regular-season NHL goal as the Maple Leafs defeated the Washington Capitals 3-1 Monday night.

"I think I was more exhausted before I could build up any nerves," said Mair, who scored at 11:36 in the first period. "It was a relief to get that early goal because it calmed things down and let me settle into the game."

Warriner, who had only three goals in 18 games, was traded to Tampa Bay on Monday for a third-round pick in 2000.

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"Adam brings an ingredient that we clearly need. He's going to get a chance to show his wares," Toronto coach Pat Quinn said. "He's a young guy and we don't want him to spoil him or have him sit around too much, so he needs to play to continue to develop his game."

Yanic Perreault and Steve Thomas also scored for Toronto. Defenseman Tomas Kaberle had two assists and Curtis Joseph made 20 saves to get his league-leading 12th victory.

Mair "played great. He got us going in the first period with a big goal. He works very hard," Perreault said. "(Washington) worked until the end of the game and CuJo made some great saves."

Jeff Halpern scored a shorthanded goal for Washington, which lost for only the second time in its last eight games. Olaf Kolzig stopped 28 shots for the Capitals.

"We had a couple guys that didn't show up for us tonight and it cost us," said Washington coach Ron Wilson. "We need everybody on the same page and tonight they weren't."

Mair was on the same page as Alyn McCauley on the first goal of the game. McCauley slid a pass through Brendan Witt's legs on a two-on-one and Mair directed it home at 11:36 of the first period.

"He made a terrific pass through the legs and all I had to do was put my stick on it," said Mair, who played the previous night in Quebec City.

Mair scored a goal for Toronto in the playoffs last season, but this was his first regular-season goal in the NHL. He had 17 points in 24 games this year with St. John's before getting called up.

The Capitals tied it at 11:06 of the second period when Halpern scored on a backhand shot from the slot. But the Leafs quickly regained the lead two minutes later when Perreault scored on a rebound of Chris McAllister's shot for his eighth goal of the season.

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