On a night celebrating his 1,000th career point, Nicklas Backstrom scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist to lead the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
Alex Ovechkin netted his team-leading 42nd goal on a third-period power play, providing the Capitals with a cushion after Backstrom’s sixth of the season gave them the lead seven minutes into the final period.
Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals, who started the night 14 points ahead of Columbus for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Vitek Vanecek made 29 saves.
“We talked about the month of March,” said head coach Peter Laviolette after his team’s ninth win. There were obviously a couple of months, January and February, that weren’t up to anybody’s standards. … In the Month of March, sometimes you can just clear the deck, turn the page, and we did, and it’s going in the right direction.”
Backstrom, who now has 1,006 points in his career, all with Washington, began the night with a ceremony his family and team officials attended to celebrate his milestone, which he reached on March 9 in a loss to Edmonton.
“It was obviously a great and fun night,” Backstrom said. We were all emotional at the start and then played a game right after, but then obviously, it finished the way I and the team wanted.”
Jack Hughes scored his 22nd goal and added his 30th assist, while Damon Severson and Jesper Bratt also scored for the Devils. Nico Daws finished with 18 saves.
McMichael tied the game 2-2 early in the third during a delayed penalty, one-timing a pass from Justin Schultz from inside the crease.
Backstrom put Washington ahead by finding space inside the left faceoff circle and beating Daws to the top right corner.
Bratt scored his 22nd goal to bring New Jersey within one inside the final minute.
“We gave a good effort to come back there in the third, scoring that goal to make it 4-3, and then we had chances to tie it up,” Severson said. But overall, the game could’ve gone either way, to be honest.”
APPLE CELEBRATION
Backstrom’s goal led to a five-minute delay as fans threw commemorative Nerf apples onto the ice. The apples read “Niky: 1,000 points,” with Backstrom’s silhouette as the letter ‘I.’
“I was like, ‘This is amazing,’” Backstrom said of the celebration. “I mean, I didn’t score a hat trick, but it was fun that the crowd did it. It was hilarious, I think. And then all the players just keep shoveling. They needed some help. It was just an awesome experience.”
MR. 1,000
Backstrom was honored pregame with a video tribute and several gifts from the Capitals in a red-carpet, on-ice ceremony. His parents, brother, fiancee, three children, and longtime teammates Ovechkin and Wilson joined him.
Game notes
- Jack Hughes has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in his last 25 games dating back to Jan. 19.
- Four of Severson’s 36 points this season have come in three games against Washington (two goals, two assists).
- Ovechkin’s goal was the game-winner, tying him with Gordie Howe for the second-most in NHL history, with 121 career game-winning goals.
- Backstrom’s assist was the 742nd of his career, tying him with Denis Potvin for 45th on the NHL all-time list.
- Washington improved to 5-3-2 in the second game of back-to-back sets.
UP NEXT
- Devils: Host Montreal on Sunday night.
- Capitals: Host Carolina on Monday night.
