DETROIT -- Opponents can't afford to give Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov much room ... but there is no choice in three-on-three overtime.

Kuznetsov's goal 45 seconds into overtime gave the Washington Capitals a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday night at Joe Louis Arena.

The 23-year-old cut in off the right wing on a rush and beat Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek with a forehand shot for his sixth goal.

"Just go hard to the net ... That's all I'm trying to do, go to the net," Kuznetsov said.

Right winger Justin Williams also scored for Washington (12-4-1). Defenseman Matt Niskanen had two assists, and goaltender Braden Holtby made 25 saves.

"(Kuznetsov) in overtime has been outstanding," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "You give him some time and space, and he's pretty good. He has that deceptive skating style. It doesn't look like he's moving his feet, but he's going faster all the time."

Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt also appreciates Kuznetsov's abilities.

"A little Russian magic," Schmidt said. "He's a special guy. I'm glad he's on our team, especially in three-on-three overtime."

Forward Dylan Larkin scored for Detroit (9-8-2), and Mrazek stopped 25 shots.

"I thought in the second we played well, we had moments we pushed and had some offensive-zone play and some chances," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "In the third, I thought they pushed hard and had us on our heels a bit. We played too much in our zone and didn't get enough time in their zone for sure."

Larkin, a 19-year-old rookie, gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead 2:48 into the game with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle off the rush. It was Larkin's sixth goal.

"He attacks and he shoots the puck a lot," Blashill said. "He's one of those guys that, I don't want to say over-shoots it, because it's not that he doesn't make plays, but if he definitely has a chance, he's going to shoot it, and that probably needs to be a little more contagious on our team."

Williams' power-play goal tied the game 1-1 with 9:06 left in the first period. He tipped Niskanen's slap pass through Mrazek's pads. It was Williams' fourth goal.

"I thought (Niskanen) was going to shoot, so I was a little bit aggressive and I went too much out," Mrazek said. "I saw (Williams) at the last second and tried to get there, but I think it went five hole. It was a nice play by the (defenseman). He saw (Williams) on the side."

Holtby made a save on Larkin from the left circle with 6:13 left in the second period and stopped center Pavel Datsyuk's redirection with about five minutes left in the second period. He also denied right winger Teemu Pulkkinen on a breakaway with 3:09 remaining in the second period.

In the last minute of the second period, Holtby stopped forward Darren Helm by knocking the puck away with his stick as the puck slid in the crease toward the empty side of the net. Holtby earlier stopped Helm on a short-handed breakaway 9:37 into the first period.

Mrazek made a glove save on Kuznetsov's shot from the high slot with 7:15 left in the first period.

Niskanen hit the goal post with 2:25 left in the first period.

Capitals defenseman Nate Schmidt hit the goal post with 6:16 left in regulation.

Mrazek took a shot off the mask by Washington defenseman John Carlson, from the left circle, with 6:34 left in regulation. The goalie went down and play was stopped, but he remained in the game.

NOTES: Washington RW Alex Ovechkin has 483 goals, tied with Sergei Fedorov for most NHL goals by a Russian-born player. Fedorov spent the first 13 seasons of his career with Detroit. Ovechkin tied a career high with 15 shots in an attempt to break the record on Nov. 10 in a 1-0 loss to the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. Fedorov was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Nov. 9. ... Detroit was without RW Johan Franzen (concussion), C Brad Richards (back), D Kyle Quincey (ankle) and F Landon Ferraro (knee). Detroit's healthy scratches were C Joakim Andersson and D Brendan Smith. ... The Capitals played without D Brooks Orpik (lower body).