NHL
Florida Gets Their First Win of the Season in a Shootout 6-5.
Florida fans can finally rejoice. The Panthers got their first win of the season in a shootout by a score of 6-5. This game featured hard hits, high scoring, and both starting goaltenders being pulled.
James Reimer made 16 saves before being pulled for the night. As a result, Michael Hutchinson would come in and stop 10 of the 11 shots he faced.
Braden Holtby would only make seven saves before getting benched for Pheonix Copley. Copley would stop 18 of the 19 shots he faced.
Game Summary
1st Period
Goal: FLA 1-0 FLA
Vincent Trocheck would open up the scoring in this contest. Trocheck poked in a rebound from a shot from Johnathan Huberdeau. The rebound would proceed to bounce off of Washington center Lars Eller. Unfortunately, the puck found its way to the back of the net. Additionally, the goal was assisted by Alexander Petrovic.
Goal: WSH 1-1
Washington would strike back in a hurry. John Carlson sent home a beautiful feed from Eller to get this game tied. This was Carlson’s 10th point in a span of seven games. Additionally, the goal was assisted by Matt Kempney.
Goal: FLA 2-1 FLA
The Panthers would answer back on their second of seven power play opportunities. Evgenni Dadonov would rip it home top shelf from a tic-tac-toe play between Dadonov, Aleksander Barkov, and Trocheck. With this goal, Dadonov now has six points in his last four games. As a result, he currently leads the Panthers in points.
Goal: FLA 3-1 FLA
Colton Sceviour would net his first of the season. Scevior went to the net after a turnover forced by Trocheck and fed the puck to Huberdeau. In turn, Huberdeau would send a pass to Scevior. As a result, he would shoot and collect a rebound from a blocked defender to increase their lead.
Goal: FLA 4-1 FLA
Jared McCann would find the back of the net for the first time this season. After a point shot from Keith Yandle in the slot, the puck would roll to Denis Malgin. Malgin would attempt to tuck in the loose change but it would squeak into the crease. As a result, McCann found the puck and ripped it home.
Shots on goal were 11-5 in favor of Florida. It’s easy to say that they dominated the first period.
As a result, Holtby would be benched for the rest of the night.
2nd Period
Goal: WSH 4-2 FLA
Brent Connolly cut the deficit to two goals. After a nice pass from Jakub Vrana, Connolly would rip it top shelf from the top of the left wing. In addition, the goal was assisted by Christian Djoos.
Goal: WSH 4-3 FLA
Vrana brought the Capitals to within one after a great feed from Lars Eller during an odd-man rush. Reimer had no chance to stop that one. The goal was also assisted by Connolly.
Goal: WSH 4-4
Devante Smith-Pelly completed the comeback for the Washington Capitals. After a clear from Niskanen that went on net, Smith-Pelly picked up the loose change. He would be denied on the first attempt but scored on the rebound.
This is why the Caps are the cup champions.
Goal: FLA 5-4 FLA
After two minor penalties from Washington, the Cats would go on a 5-on-3 man advantage. Dadonov would take a wrist shot from the top of the right wing. The rebound off of Copley would go to Huberdeau and he would put in the loose change.
Florida would finish this game two for seven on the power play.
Shots on goal were 21-17 in favor of Washington. That’s 16 more shots this period for Washington than the first period.
3rd Period
Hutchinson and Copley both stood tall in their reliefs for their starters. However, someone in this period broke the scoring in the third.
Mackenzie Weegar went off of the ice for an interference penalty.
Goal: WSH 5-5
With only a minute and 25 seconds left, the Capitals tied the game once again on the power play. Nicklas Backstrom would find the back of the net this time around. After a pass to the front of the cage by Eller, Backstrom had an easy shot on the empty net. The goal was also assisted by Evgeny Kuznetsov.
With 22 seconds left in the game, Florida would go on the power play. As a result, it would carry over to overtime.
Shots on goal were 29-27 in favor of Washington.
Overtime
Despite a Florida man advantage, Washington stood their ground and forced it into a shootout.
Final shots on goal were 31-30 in favor of Washington.
Shootout
T.J. Oshie would open up the scoring for the shootout.
The shootout specialist, Alexander Barkov, would get one back for the Panthers after a sweet backhand. He is now 2 for 3 in the shootout this season.
Evgeny Kuznetsov would come up and give the Capitals a 2-1 advantage in the shootout.
Nick Bjugstad would miss his attempt, putting pressure on Hutchinson.
“The Great Eight” Alex Ovechkin would be stopped by Hutchinson to keep the Panthers alive.
Vincent Trocheck came in with a sweet move and found the back of the net to send the shootout to extra frames.
Nicklas Backstrom, who was the hero in the third period, could not recreate the same magic. He would miss his shot wide.
Johnathan Huberdeau would fire a wrist shot through Copley’s five-hole and give the Florida Panthers their first win of the season.
The Road Ahead
Florida (1-2-2)
The Panthers will finally come home to play the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, October 20th at 7:00 pm.
Washington (3-2-2)
The Capitals will travel to British Columbia to take on the Vancouver Canucks on Monday, October 22nd at 10:00 pm.
Social Media
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Photo Credit
Photo Courtesy of Patrick Smith
