Matt Niskanen scores in overtime as Washington Capitals defeat New York Rangers

Matt Niskanen scored with 2:42 left in overtime and gave the host Washington Capitals a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

Niskanen notched his first goal of the season at the right time. Evgeny Kuznetsov fired a shot from the left side that New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist got a glove on but could not control.

The puck bounced away from the goalie and over to Niskanen, who got behind Lundqvist and put it into the net. That goal and the victory snapped Washington's two-game losing streak.

Alex Ovechkin finished with two goals. John Carlson added one goal and two assists. Nicklas Backstrom also had two assists in the victory.

Goalie Braden Holtby finished with 29 saves for Washington, including a number of tough stops. Lundqvist had 34 saves and also had several difficult stops.

The Rangers took a 1-0 lead when Mika Zibanejad scored at 6:08 of the game before Carlson tied it nearly eight minutes later.

Ovechkin and the Washington power play stepped up in the second period. He gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead by ripping a one-timer past Lundqvist at 3:32.

Carlson started the play by reaching out and saving the puck just as it was about to cross the blue line. Instead, he sent a quick pass that Ovechkin one-timed in from the left circle.

Jimmy Vesey tied the game for the Rangers with his power-play goal at 12:42. Neal Pionk (three assists) took a shot at the beginning of the power play that hit a Washington player and bounced to Vesey in front of the net. He put it into the open net for a 2-2 tie.

But Ovechkin answered with 2:59 left in the period, again in an extra-man situation. Once more, he one-timed a Carlson pass past Lundqvist to give Washington a 3-2 lead.

New York tied the game on a third-period power-play goal. Chris Kreider redirected a Pionk shot past Holtby with 9:35 left, and that goal forced overtime.

(With inputs from agencies.)