Capitals rally in the third period to defeat Devils

The Washington Capitals were trailing entering the third period but used three goals in the third period to down the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Saturday night at Capital One Arena. Nicklas Backstrom was honored in a moving pregame ceremony for his 1,000th career point that he recorded March 9 against the Edmonton Oilers.

Backstrom was joined his wife Liza and his three kids Haley, Vince, and Alizee as well as Capitals President Dick Patrick and General Manager Brian MacLellan. There was a brief scare when Alex Ovechkin presented Backstrom with their gifts from the team. Ovechkin nearly tripped on the carpet on the ice.

There was also a video montage featuring several NHL players congratulating Backstrom. Those players included Sidney Crosby who was soundly booed when he came up. That was the best part LOL.

The first period was scoreless as the Devils led in shots 10-7.

55 seconds into the second period, Jack Hughes put the Devils up 1-0. At 2:47 the Caps tied it. John Carlson got the puck to Conor Sheary. Sheary and Tom Wilson raced down the ice for the two on one and Wilson buried it for his 20th of the season.

Damon Severson gave the Devils a 2-1 lead at 7:17. The Devils led in shots 12-9 in the second period.

The Caps tied it at 2:08 in a passing sequence from Carlson, to Justin Schultz, to Connor McMichael on the doorstep. McMichael scored for his ninth goal fo the season.

The Caps would take the lead at 6:56 from the man of the night, Backstrom himself. It was assisted by Anthony Mantha and Backstrom’s sixth goal of the season. Last night’s promotional giveaway for the 1,000 point ceremony was a commemorative squishy foam apple. All those apples rained down onto the ice stopping the game for a few minutes while the ice crew and even the players themselves helping to clean it up.

Back in the action the Caps got on the power play. At 11:48 Backstrom worked the puck to Evgeny Kuznetsov who found Ovechkin on the doorstep. Ovechkin put it in for his 42nd goal of the season.

At 19:28 the Devils pulled within one on a goal from Jesper Bratt but the Caps would hang on the rest of the way. Vitek Vanecek made 35 saves. After the game when Backstrom headed to his locker his teammates pelted him with the apple giveaways. It was a fitting end to an awesome night.

The Caps return to action on Monday night when they host the Carolina Hurricanes.