SUNRISE, Fla. - Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin didn't hustle all the way back in the second period when the Florida Panthers scored their only goal.

Ovechkin made up for that mistake later, getting assists on both Washington goals as the Capitals beat the Panthers 2-1 on Saturday night at the BB&T Center.

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the game-winner with 1:16 left in overtime.

Kuznetsov beat Panthers goalie Al Montoya between his pads for his fifth goal of the season. Montoya got his stick on the puck but could not stop it from getting past him.

It was the first three-on-three overtime at the BB&T Center, and Kuznetsov was all alone on the play. Kuznetsov got free when Panthers defenseman Brian Campbell and right winger Reilly Smith crossed signals, leaving an open lane.

Kuznetsov, an unflappable Russian who barely celebrated his game-winner, said he's fine with the NHL's three-on-three overtime rule, which began this season.

"It's something new, and we accept the challenge," he said.

Perhaps it was fitting that the game went into overtime. The last time the Capitals were at the BB&T Center, the Panthers beat them in last season's record-breaking 20-round shootout.

This game would not last nearly as long. But it was an interesting battle between two solid backup goalies - Montoya (2-0-1) for Florida and rookie Philipp Grubauer (2-0-0)for Washington.

"I got a lot of shots early," said Grubauer, who made 10 of his 26 saves in the first period. "That got me into the game."

With the win, the Capitals (8-2-0) are 4-0-0 this season in back-to-back games. They have also killed 13 straight penalties.

Florida (5-4-2) opened the scoring with 2:47 elapsed in the second period. The play started with four seconds left in a Capitals power play. That's when Ovechkin unleashed a fearsome slap shot that Panthers defenseman Alex Petrovic went down to block with his right leg.

That block created a carom headed the other way. Panthers center Dave Bolland fed a bouncing pass to left winger Jussi Jokinen, who mishandled it at first before beating Grubauer top shelf. It was Jokinen's third goal of the season.

"Bolland made a great play," Jokinen said. "I swung, didn't hit the puck, but the second time I got it."

Petrovic, who limped off the ice, got a painful assist on the play. Bolland had the primary assist.

On the play, Ovechkin skated back initially but then pulled up, which led to the Florida goal.

Jokinen nearly put Florida ahead 2-0 midway through the second period, but his shot went off the right post.

"That would have been huge for sure," Florida defenseman Erik Gudbranson said. "I thought we played well, but, unfortunately, we came up short."

Washington, after surviving that close call, tied the score 1-1 on a goal by center Jay Beagle with 17:37 left in the third period. The play started with Ovechkin's shot from the point that was defected. The spinning puck landed near Beagle, who barely got a stick on it as it crossed the line.

The Panthers challenged the goal, believing that Washington right winger Justin Williams interfered with Montoya, holding his glove hand with his stick. The Panthers, though, lost the challenge.

Capitals coach Barry Trotz said he thought the puck was going in - no matter what contact occurred.

"I was pretty confident once I saw it up on the big screen," Trotz said of the review. "The way (Montoya) was, there was no way he could have covered ... there was a third of the net open."

NOTES: Washington's Braden Holtby, who led NHL goalies in games played (72) last season, was rested. ... Florida also rested its starting goalie, Roberto Luongo. ... Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr (ribs, groin) sat out his second straight game but hopes to return for Florida's next game, Wednesday at Anaheim. ... Panthers C Aleksander Barkov (hand) was placed on injured reserve, and RW Rocco Grimaldi, 22, took his roster spot. Grimaldi was brought up from Portland of the American Hockey League. ... Panthers D Dmitry Kulikov, who had his nose broken on a penalized hit by Bruins LW Brad Marchand on Friday, played despite the injury. ... Panthers RW Logan Shaw's NHL debut on Friday night against the Bruins was uneventful. He didn't register a point (one shot) but did make three hits in 10:49 of ice time. He was a healthy scratch Saturday along with Panthers D Steven Kampfer. ... Washington scratched C Michael Latta, D Taylor Chorney and RW Stanislav Galiev.