LOS ANGELES - - The Washington Capitals surrendered a short-handed goal to Michal Handzus early in the third period Saturday and fell, 2-1, to the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.
But the outcome of a single regular-season game in January might not matter much if Nicklas Backstrom misses an extended amount of time. The first-line center took two shifts for a total of 56 seconds at the start of the second period, then disappeared from the bench. It was not immediately known when the 22-year-old Swede was hurt or to what extent.
The Capitals did not provide an update on Backstrom's status during the game, other than he "may return." Backstrom has not missed a game in his two-plus seasons in the NHL.
Washington had a late chance to salvage its two-game West Coast trip and force overtime. But the Capitals came up empty on a two-man advantage that lasted 53 seconds. In their 5-2 loss in San Jose on Wednesday, they failed to score on a 49-second five-on-three.
"I don't think they had much going on five-on-five today, but this one seemed to come down to special teams in the end. They get the short-handed goal, and that's the difference in the game," Washington's Brooks Laich said of the Kings.
The Capitals have lost three straight games in regulation for the first time this season.
Moments before the power play sputtered, Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who was one of three Kings named to the U.S. Olympic team Friday, made a highlight-quality stop on Laich. Without his stick during a scramble, Quick jabbed out his left pad to rob Laich in the crease.
"I thought Quick was really good," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said. "I was watching him in the warm-up, and I thought if we had shot some more pucks, we would have gotten him. But he got into a zone and he was unbeatable after the Mike Green goal."
Despite missing their best playmaker, the Capitals bounced back from a wretched first period and pulled even on a power-play goal by Mike Green in the second period.
On the tying goal, Green took a feed from Tom Poti, then glided in for a closer look before ripping a shot past Quick's blocker pads at 2:13. Green also drew the penalty that led to the advantage.
But Handzus capitalized on a blown defensive assignment by the Capitals and scored the game-winner short-handed 2:50 into the third period.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.