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

Capitals beat Panthers in SO

Oct 19, 2014 - 3:28 AM Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Alex Ovechkin went without a goal for the first time in four games, but scored in the shootout Saturday to help lead the Washington Capitals to a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers.

All three Capitals skaters beat Al Montoya in the shootout -- Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom with snap shots to the stick side and Ovechkin with a nice shoulder fake that sent the Panthers goalie to the ice.

Ovechkin had scored five goals in the last three games after being shut out by Montreal in the season opener on Oct. 9. He had a chance to end it in overtime but his slap shot from the left circle was stopped by Montoya.

Justin Peters stopped Jussi Jokinen in the shootout and had 20 saves in regulation and overtime. Jason Chimera scored for the Capitals, who went 2-0-1 on a three-game homestand.

"You have to scratch out whatever game's presented," said Capitals coach Barry Trotz. "Tonight was a game (against a team) that's scrappy with a good group of forwards that play a fast game, a hard game and we couldn't get a second goal to pull away."

Brad Boyes had a goal and Montoya made 27 saves in his first start for the Panthers, who fell to 1-2-2 after getting their first win on Friday against Buffalo.

The Panthers tied the game on a power play 4:27 into the third when a rebound kicked out to the left side and Boyes raced in to score into the empty side of the net.

"We didn't have a great first two periods," said Florida coach Gerard Gallant. "We were OK but not good enough. But in the third period we picked it up.

Earlier, Chimera beat Montoya with a deke to his backhand at 17:12 of the first period after slipping into a wide-open spot in front of the crease, where Eric Fehr found him with a pass from below the goal line on the right side.

Game Notes

Montoya appeared in Florida's home opener on Oct. 11 after Roberto Luongo gave up five goals on 14 shots ... The Capitals go on the road for a three-game stretch beginning Wednesday in Edmonton ... The Panthers are at Colorado on Tuesday.






Related News