It was at the end of the first period that Washington played on the power play.
Marcus Johansson played the puck to Bäckström who was standing at the right drawing circle.
After briefly considering his options, Bäckström pulled off a snappy wrist shot that went wide of Ilja Samsonov who had a clear view.
Bäckström did not attach much importance to the fact that he scored the first goal in his ninth game of the season after hip surgery last summer and the long rehab.
- I think the first period was good but gave it away in the second.
It became too tough when they scored four goals in the second period.
You don't win hockey games when you play that way, says Bäckström to the NHL.
Nylander extended the lead in the Swedish shooting league
Toronto won the second period 4-0.
William Nylander made it 3-1, adding to the lead in the Swedish shooting league with his 28th goal of the season, and Pierre Engvall made it 4-1.
In Toronto, attention was paid above all to John Tavares getting two assists in his thousandth NHL game.
At a pre-drop ceremony, the family was present on the ice.
- That made it really special, says Tavares.