Panthers Clinch Playoff Spot With Loss

It was an opportunity for the Florida Panthers to win their first division title in franchise history or enter the postseason for the first time in 12 years. The Panthers snatched a playoff spot, even though they lost to the Washington Capitals 4-2 at the Verizon Center on Thursday night. The last time the Panthers made the playoffs was in 1999-2000. Panthers captain Stephen Weiss will play in his first postseason after 10 seasons and 635 games with the team. It did not start well for Florida at 5:42 of the first period. Jay Beagle was able to put in a rebound from the low slot over the left shoulder of Jose Theodore for a Capitals 1-0 lead. Troy Brouwer set the play up with a wrist shot from the high slot area. Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth had to leave the game at 5:39 of the second period due to a lower-body injury and was replaced by Braden Holtby. Mikael Samuelsson hit the right post at 6:42 from the right circle. Washington capitalized on a giveaway by Dmitry Kulikov at the top of the Capitals zone. Alex Ovechkin carried the puck through the neutral zone and into the Panthers zone. He dropped a pass to Marcus Johansson who fired a shot on net from the left circle. Ovechkin put in the rebound from the crease area at 7:49. The Caps extended the margin to 3-0 at 9:49 when Brooks Laich scored from the left circle with a feed from the left corner by Keith Aucoin. Samuelsson closed the gap with a slap shot from the left circle dot over the left shoulder of Holtby at 15:41. Marcel Goc fed him with a pass from the high slot. Ed Jovanovski picked up his first goal in 54 games just 42 seconds into the third period. He fluttered the puck off a defender's stick from the top of the zone after a pass from Brian Campbell from the right point. During the television timeout with 3:06 remaining, the scoreboard display at the Verizon Center flashed the final score of the Buffalo Sabres loss to the Philadelphia Flyers which meant the Florida Panthers had clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot. Alexander Semin finished things off with 1:02 left as he skated from the right corner to the right side of the crease and shoveled a backhand for a goal, a Capitals victory and a playoff spot. Washington is now two points behind the Cats in the Southeast Division with one game left in the season. Florida will host the Carolina Hurricanes and try to win their first division title on Saturday night.