Panthers 1 - 2 Capitals
Final - 2OT
  for this game

Ovechkin, Caps welcome Panthers

Oct 18, 2014 - 3:19 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Anybody who was worried Alex Ovechkin's offensive game would suffer under Barry Trotz can rest easy for now.

Ovechkin will try to score for a fourth consecutive game Saturday when his Washington Capitals welcome the Florida Panthers to Verizon Center.

The defensive-minded Trotz is in his first season behind the Washington bench, and there was some concern as to how his style would mesh with Ovechkin, who has won four Rocket Richard Trophies as the league's top goal-scorer.

So far, Ovechkin's offensive game hasn't suffered in the least. The three-time Hart Trophy winner has four goals in four games under Trotz and was only kept off the scoresheet in Washington's season-opening loss against Montreal. The 29-year-old Russian has torched Florida for 31 goals and 64 points in 49 games during his standout career.

Ovechkin kicked off the scoring just 34 seconds into Thursday's 6-2 rout of the visiting New Jersey Devils. The score was tied at 2-2 after one period, but Washington eventually turned the tide in its favor. Marcus Johansson broke the tie in the second period and the Capitals scored three times in a span of 7:59 in the third.

Braden Holtby made 26 saves for Washington, which has earned at least a point in each of its first four games (2-0-2). Trotz credited his goaltender for keeping the Caps in the game early before Washington's offense came alive in the second half of the tilt.

"Braden Holtby was really good in the first. He made some big saves at key times," said Trotz. "When the game was 2-2, he made a couple of big saves. When we went up 3-2, he made a big save. That's what good goaltenders do; they give you the timely saves and he did tonight."

Holtby is expected to start again tonight. He is 6-0-0 with a 2.69 goals against average in six career games against the Panthers.

Washington went 2-0-1 against Florida last season and has won nine of the past 10 meetings in this series. The Panthers have dropped eight straight and 11 of their last 12 tilts in D.C.

The Panthers, however, hope to build off their first win of the season when they visit the Caps. Florida was in action Friday night in Buffalo and rode goaltender Roberto Luongo to a 1-0 victory.

Luongo made 26 saves for the shutout, while Sean Bergenheim scored the only goal of the game early in the second period to help Florida improve to 1-2-1 on the young season.

The only goal came 3:01 into the second period, as Brad Boyes worked the puck loose along the left boards and it came out to the circle, where Bergenheim quickly wristed it in for his first of the season.

"Most of my goals come in front of the net or from quick shots," said Bergenheim. "It's always nice when it goes in and this was a nice first one to start the season."

Florida did lose center Dave Bolland to a lower-body injury on Friday and he is questionable for tonight's game.

Al Montoya will get his first start of the season tonight, giving Luongo the night off. Montoya did see action on Oct. 11 against New Jersey when he relieved Luongo during a 5-1 rout. Montoya stopped all 10 shots he faced versus the Devils, but the veteran backup is 0-1-0 with a 3.87 goals against average in two career outings against Washington.

The Panthers are playing the second part of a four-game road trip tonight and will complete the trek with stops in Colorado and Arizona.






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