Capitals 4, Red Wings 3 (SO)
DETROIT -- Center Nicklas Backstrom's shootout goal gave the Washington Capitals a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday night.
Center Brooks Laich and right wing Alexander Ovechkin scored and center Michael Latta got his first NHL goal for Washington (11-8-1). Goalie Braden Holtby made 34 saves. Backstrom' got the only goal of the shootout.
Forward Johan Franzen had two goals and an assist and defenseman Danny Dekeyser had a goal and an assist for Detroit (9-5-6), which lost its seventh consecutive home game and 11th consecutive home overtime contest. Defenseman Jakub Kindl had two assists and goalie Jimmy Howard made 30 saves.
Latta tied the game at 3 and sent it into overtime with his first career goal, with 8:06 left in the third. Latta poked in a loose puck from just outside the slot.
Right wing Alexander Ovechkin brought Washington within 3-2, 3:19 into the third period with his 15th goal. He beat Howard with a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle.
DeKeyser's power-play goal with 18 seconsd left in the second period gave Detroit a 3-1 lead. He put in a one-time shot from the right circle for DeKeyser's second goal.
Holtby made a spectacular toe save -- with the puck right along the goal line -- on Tomas Tatar's wrap-around attempt with 5:50 left in the first period.
Laich opened the scoring 5:50 into the game when he backhanded in his own rebound after swooping in off the right wing following a turnover by DeKeyser in the neutral zone.
But Franzen then took over.
His power-play goal with 4:08 left in the opening period tied it at 1. He beat Holtby with a screened snap shot from the left circle. Franzen struck again just 2:18 left when he put in a one-time shot from the bottom of the left circle. It was Franzen's fourth goal of the season.
NOTES: Red Wings RW Daniel Alfredsson was a late scratch because of a sore groin. ... Capitals D Mike Green did not play due to a lower-body injury. ... Detroit D Jonathan Ericsson returned after missing 10 games with a separated shoulder. ... Washington D Steve Oleksy is from the Detroit-area suburb of Macomb. ... Red Wings RW Patrick Eaves cleared waivers Friday and was sent to Grand Rapids of the AHL. ... Detroit also sent C Luke Glendening to Grand Rapids on Friday. ... Capitals rookie RW Tom Wilson and backup G Michal Neuvirth both played junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers, who are based in suburban Detroit. ... Red Wings C Stephen Weiss missed his third game with a sore groin.
