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Backstrom's goal in overtime helps Capitals edge Hurricanes

Sep 26, 2007 - 2:23 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Rookie Nicklas Backstrom scored in overtime to lift the Washington Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

Defenseman Mike Green had the first goal of the contest in the first period and Viktor Kozlov added a tally in the second for Washington, which won its preseason home opener and improved to 2-1-1 overall.

With the score knotted in the extra period, Backstrom received a pass from Green and beat reserve goaltender Michael Leighton at the 3:36 mark of overtime. The 19-year-old from Gavle, Sweden was the Capitals' first-round choice - fourth overall - in 2006.

Green had given Washington the lead in the first session, when he received a beautiful feed from Tomas Fleischmann and beat Carolina starting netminder Cam Ward with 5:05 left in the initial period.

Washington increased its advantage in the second when Kozlov took a pass from Alexander Ovechkin and drilled a power-play goal past Leighton to make it, 2-0, at the 13:30 mark.

The Hurricanes came roaring back in the third session on goals by Justin Williams at the 10:09 mark and the equalizer by Erik Cole with 3:36 left to tie the contest, sending it into OT.

Olaf Kolzig made 29 saves for the Capitals, who next face the Flyers in Philadelphia Wednesday night.

Ward stopped seven of eight shots in just over 30 minutes of action before Leighton came on and knocked away 16 of 18.