Panthers Take First Place From Capitals

The Florida Panthers returned from the All-Star break on Wednesday as they faced the Washington Capitals for first place in the Southeast Division. The Cats prevailed at the Bank Atlantic Center 4-2. Both teams were separated by only one point as they entered the game. Neither team scored in the first period. Just 33 seconds into the second period, Mikael Samuelsson took a wrist shot from just outside of the blue line that sailed above the right shoulder of Michael Neuvirth. Samuelssson scored in his second consecutive game. Brooks Laich evened the game on a four-on-four situation at 11:15 as he darted through the left circle from the left corner and fired a top-shelf shot over the glove of Scott Clemmensen. Florida got a power-play goal from Samuelsson, his second goal of the game, at 4:57 of the third period on a wrist shot from the top of the zone following a cross-ice feed by Brian Campbell. The Panthers extended the lead to 3-1 at 9:52 under unusual circumstances and a long replay review from the NHL nerve center in Toronto. Tomas Kopecky backhanded a pass from the side of the crease that popped up in the air, then it went off the upper body of Stephen Weiss in front of the crease and into the Capitals net. For Weiss it was his 13th goal of the season. The Panthers gave a gift goal at 17:39 when a soft clearing pass by Kopecky from behind his on net was blasted in by John Carlson from the right point for an unassisted goal. Shawn Matthias wrapped the game up for the Cats at 19:40 as he skated in from the neutral zone for an unassisted goal and a 4-2 lead.