Capitals rally to defeat Ducks in overtime

WASHINGTON-- Alex Ovechkin scored 1:58 into overtime to cap a three-goal rally by the Washington Capitals in a 3-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

WATCH: [All Ducks vs. Capitals highlights]
Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored third-period goals for the Capitals (21-12-1), who trailed 2-0 with 16:56 remaining.
Washington has won three games in a row, and seven of eight, and is in first place in the Metropolitan Division.
"Even if we were down two goals, we had a good feeling," Backstrom said. "We felt like we created good enough chances to score. But [Ducks goalie John Gibson] made some good saves on us, especially in the second period there. It was nice to get this comeback."

Braden Holtby made 28 saves and has held opponents to two or three goals in his past 10 games. He stopped Rickard Rakell twice in a row 44 seconds into overtime, making one of those saves outside his crease while chasing a loose puck.
Ovechkin scored his 21st overtime goal to add to his NHL record. His 23 goals this season are tied for the NHL lead with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
Ovechkin's 99th game-winning goal passed Guy Lafleur and Bobby Hull for ninth in NHL history.
This one came at the end of a shift that lasted 1:19. Backstrom and defenseman John Carlson had gone to the bench, but Ovechkin made one last rush up the right wing and beat Gibson with a slap shot from the top of the right circle that hit the left post.
"I was tired," Ovechkin said. "I just wanted to throw it in. I think it deflected off the stick of [Anaheim defenseman Brandon Montour], but I'll take it. But I was really tired."
Derek Grant and Jakob Silfverberg scored for the Ducks (14-11-8), who haven't lost in regulation in seven games (3-0-4).
"We've got some big guys out of the lineup to score goals for us, so we're chipping away, playing good defense and finding a way to get points," Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf said.

Backstrom scored at 3:05 of the third period to make it 2-1 off the rebound of an Ovechkin shot.
Kuznetsov scored at 7:27 when he beat Gibson short side to make it 2-2. He was trying to pass to Tom Wilson at the right post, but the puck deflected off the stick of Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano.
"We got defending too much, which brings a lot of energy out of us, and in the third we don't have that jump we need," Silfverberg said. "And they come back and win the game in OT. We've got to get back to that a little bit more of an attack mentality."
Grant gave Anaheim a 1-0 lead at 16:01 of the first period. Silfverberg scored at 7:36 of the second period five seconds into a Ducks power play to make it 2-0.
Washington is 13-2-0 at home since Nov. 2.
"We haven't played our best maybe over 60 minutes, but we find ways to win and that's all that matters," Backstrom said. "I feel like this is the time you need to get points and climb that ladder. That's what we've got to do."

Goal of the game

Ovechkin's goal at 1:58 of overtime.

Saves of the game

Holtby's saves on Rakell 44 seconds into overtime.

Highlight of the game

Backstrom's goal at 3:05 of the third period.

They said it

"Overtime hasn't been our friend (2-0-7). It's kind of been a knife in the side of a few of us." -- Ducks coach Randy Carlyle
"It was funny. You're on the bench and you have Grade A chances, twice as many as they did, and we're sitting there on the bottom end of the score. … But I had a really good feeling in the dressing room [after the second period]. I said, 'Right now we're playing fine. We've just got to hit the back of the net.'" -- Capitals coach Barry Trotz

Need to know

Gibson made 24 saves. … Ovechkin has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in his past 12 games. … Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm played 17:48 returning from a concussion. … Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly played his 300th NHL game. He was selected by the Ducks in the second round (No. 42) of the 2010 NHL Draft.

What's next

Ducks: At the New Jersey Devils on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, KCOP-13, NHL.TV)
Capitals: At the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; FS-SW, NBCSWA+, NHL.TV)