Capitals Edge Panthers

The Florida Panthers played an important divisional game against the Washington Capitals on Friday night at the Bank Atlantic Center. The Cats lost the contest 2-1. The division-leading Panthers entered the game with a four-point lead over the second place Capitals. With 40 seconds left in the first period, Stephen Weiss rushed down the left side, skated around the Capitals net and fed a pass from the left corner. Tomas Fleischmann scored his 19th goal as he hit a one-timer from the inner edge of the left circle past Tomas Vokoun. Neither team was able to score in the second period. Panthers goalie Jose Theodore made several great saves on Jeff Halpern and Alexander Semin from close range. Washington had a goal waved off with 45 seconds remaining in the period when Mike Knuble was called for goalie interference as a shot by Brooks Laich from the left circle went into the net. The Capitals tied the game at 1-1 at 4:47 of the third period on the power play. Following a scramble for the puck in the front, Alex Ovechkin lifted a shot from the left of the crease over the left shoulder of Theodore. The Caps took their first lead of the night at 13:27 as Semin took a slap shot from the top right circle off a deflection from Sean Bergenheim's stick who was directly in front of him. For the first time this season, Florida lost in a game regulation when leading after two periods. The Panthers host the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.