SUNRISE, Fla. — The Washington Capitals had a three-goal lead early within the second interval Wednesday evening towards the Florida Panthers, a pivotal Sport 5 win firmly inside attain, and their confidence was hovering.
Washington
Capitals go from in command to on the brink after Game 5 collapse
“There have been two video games that have been performed,” Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette stated. “There was the sport to push it to 3-0 the place I appreciated the whole lot we did, together with the ability play and the penalty kill and five-on-five play. After which there was the sport that happened after that. . . . We obtained to get again to that first a part of that sport, and you bought to play it constantly for 60 minutes.”
The Capitals misplaced their grip towards a group that has specialised in rallies this season — Florida had an NHL-best 29 comeback victories en path to profitable the Presidents’ Trophy because the league’s finest common season group. The Panthers by no means regarded panicked Wednesday as they methodically got here again towards a Capitals group now one loss from a fourth straight first-round playoff exit.
Issues began effectively for the guests with T.J. Oshie scoring the primary of his two targets, tipping dwelling John Carlson’s shot 7:09 into the primary interval with the Capitals on the ability play. The Capitals added to that with two targets inside 90 seconds early within the second. The primary got here from defenseman Justin Schultz, who scored off a rebound at 2:13, then Oshie completed off an odd-man rush for his fifth aim of the sequence at 3:38.
Then issues went south — first slowly, then in a rush. Florida ahead Carter Verhaeghe, who completed with two targets and three assists, obtained the Panthers on the board with 13:10 left within the interval by choosing up a unfastened puck off the boards and beating Ilya Samsonov.
About six minutes later, ahead Patric Hornqvist lower the Capitals’ result in one, beating Samsonov on a breakaway. Sam Reinhart tied it up at 3 just a little greater than two minutes after that when he jammed the puck previous Samsonov on the left submit.
“For lots of the sport, I like the best way we performed,” Oshie stated. “It’s unlucky we didn’t present up on the scoreboard they usually took benefit of their probabilities. There was quite a lot of the sport the place I believed we did a very good job.”
The sector was booming getting into the third, and the house group continued to journey that momentum, with Verhaeghe scoring the game-winner at 3:04 of the third. He stripped the puck from defenseman Dmitry Orlov earlier than racing into the offensive zone and ending a feed from captain Aleksander Barkov.
“We have been nonetheless in good place going into the third on the street right here,” Capitals middle Nicklas Backstrom stated. “So we had an opportunity however didn’t make the most of it.”
Claude Giroux completed a two-on-one rush, beating Samsonov with 4:05 left, to seal it.
“Sort of shot ourselves within the foot right here,” Oshie stated. “They’re an amazing group. Can’t give them offense. They’re going to discover a option to create one thing on their very own.”
Samsonov was sharp within the first interval, turning apart all 15 photographs that got here his means. He stopped 18 over the subsequent two intervals mixed.
Samsonov was making his third straight begin and appeared to be discovering his footing after sturdy showings in Video games 3 and 4. Earlier than his Sport 5 begin, he had a 1.66 targets towards common and a .949 save proportion this postseason.
He additionally withstood an harm scare with 4:20 left within the second, when Barkov caught Samsonov up excessive together with his stick. The Capitals’ coach got here out to examine him, however the Russian by no means left the ice.
The Capitals remained with out injured winger Tom Wilson. Wilson traveled with the group and continues to be listed as day-to-day, however he didn’t take part in Thursday’s morning skate. He has but to follow with the group since struggling a lower-body harm early in Sport 1.
Rookie Connor McMichael once more took Wilson’s place within the lineup. McMichael’s secondary help on Oshie’s second aim of the sport was the primary postseason level of his profession.
The Panthers have been additionally down a person for the primary time within the sequence. Ahead Mason Marchment, who was a bodily drive within the first 4 video games, didn’t play with an undisclosed harm. Maxim Mamin made his postseason debut in his place.