Capitals 4, Hurricanes 1
WASHINGTON -- Washington center Nicklas Backstrom celebrated his season debut with a goal and two assists, right wing T.J. Oshie added a goal and an assist and the Capitals defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 on Saturday night.
Backstrom, who missed three games while recovering from May hip surgery, helped give Washington the lead when he assisted on Oshie's first period power-play goal.
Just 1:38 into the third period, Backstrom corralled a loose puck along the boards in the Carolina end. He fired on net and the puck appeared to hit a Hurricanes defenseman before sneaking between goalie Cam Ward's pads to make it 2-0.
Defenseman John Carlson and left wing Alex Ovechkin added third period goals for Washington (3-1-0), which won the final two games of its four-game season-opening homestand.
Braden Holtby had 18 saves for the Capitals.
Carolina center Jeff Skinner's goal midway through the third period pulled the Hurricanes (1-4-0) to within 2-1, and Ward, playing his second game in two nights, made 30 saves.
The Hurricanes were outshot by a whopping 17-5 margin in the first 20 minutes, but trailed just 1-0.
Oshie scored with a slap shot from the slot when he took a Backstrom pass and fired just under the cross bar on a power play with 4:03 left.
Backstrom led the NHL in assists (60) and power-play assists (30) last season.
When Washington right wing Jay Beagle and Carlson picked up back-to-back penalties, Carolina had a two-man advantage for 38 seconds early in the second period, but couldn't get the equalizer.
They did put the puck in the net however, after Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner pushed Skinner into Holtby.
After the Washington goalie fell in the crease and lost his mask, defenseman Justin Faulk fired into the net as Holtby, who was visibly angry afterwards, covered his face. The goal was disallowed and the Capitals killed off the remainder of the power play.
At the other end, Ward kept Carolina close with two superb saves midway through the period.
First he denied left wing Marcus Johansson with a sprawling pad save, then he robbed Oshie, who was alone in front after a beautiful pass from behind the net by center Evgeny Kuznetsov, with a his glove.
The Capitals outshot the Hurricanes 24-4 at even strength in the first two periods.
NOTES: Nicklas Backstrom centered a Capitals line that included LW Marcus Johansson and RW Justin Williams, as head coach Barry Trotz kept his top line of LW Alex Ovechkin, C Evgeny Kuznetsov and RW T.J. Oshie intact. ... Williams registered 201 points (81 goals, 120 assists) in 265 games with Carolina from 2003-09. ... Carolina scratches included C Riley Nash, C Joakim Nordstrom and D Brett Pesce. ... C Michael Latta, RW Stanislav Galiev and D Nat Schmidt were scratched for Washington. ... The Capitals begin a three-game Western Canada swing on Tuesday at Calgary. ... Carolina continues its seven-game trip Wednesday at Colorado.