DENVER (AP) — Nicklas Backstrom scored a power-play goal 22 seconds into overtime and the Washington Capitals beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Friday night.
Alex Ovechkin and Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for the Capitals, and Pheonix Copley stopped 24 shots.
Colin Wilson and Carl Soderberg scored for the Avalanche.
With 2:44 left in the third period, Ian Cole fired a shot from between the circles that glanced off Copley's pads. The puck trickled out to the right side of the net, where Wilson tied it at 2.
The Capitals ended it on a 4-on-3 power play. Backstrom was left uncovered for a clean shot in the high slot that beat former Capital goalie Philipp Grubauer on his stick side. Backstrom also had an assist.
With the score tied at 1, Tom Wilson started a rush and passed the puck ahead to Backstrom, who dished off to the streaking Ovechkin. He split defenders and let loose a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that sailed over Grubauer's glove at 18:29 of the second.
Smith-Pelly pulled Washington Even 8:55 into the second off a cross-ice pass from Chandler Stephenson.
Colorado just missed adding a goal from Mark Barberio when his shot glanced off the right post at 11:01 of the second.
NOTES: T.J. Oshie, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Braden Holtby were ruled out for the game against the Avalanche because of upper body injuries. They are all listed as day to day. ... The Avs remain one win shy of their 1,000th victory since moving to Denver from Quebec in 1995. The Avs 999 wins in that span include 897 in the regular season and 102 in the playoffs.
UP NEXT
Capitals: Play at Montreal on Monday night.
Avalanche: Visit Anaheim on Sunday night.
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