Capitals Break Down Panthers

     The Florida Panthers played their final contest prior to the NHL All-Star Game break and they were defeated by the Washington Capitals 4-2 at BB&T Center on Thursday night. The Panthers have lost seven of their last nine games while the Capitals snapped a three-game losing streak.
     Florida(19-22-6) was awarded three power plays in the first 11 minutes of play and scored two seconds following the conclusion of their third power play. Jared McCann tipped an outlet pass toward the slot area. Denis Malgin put a wrist shot past Braden Holtby with 8:58 left in the first period.
     Alex Ovechkin picked up his 500th career assist when Washington(29-15-5) was on their first power play with 2:35 remaining in the first. He had the puck on the left point and sent a diagonal pass to Evgeny Kuznetsov in the low right circle. He passed to Nicklas Backstrom, who scored from the top of the crease for his 10th goal of the campaign.
     In the second period, the Panthers regained the lead at the 6:40 mark. Vincent Trocheck carried the puck to the right corner and flicked a centering pass that Jonathan Huberdeau touched. Malgin was on the doorstep and put in the loose puck for his second goal of the contest and seventh goal of the season.
     The Caps answered back just over one minute later at 7:51. Brooks Orpik snapped a shot from the left wing which was redirected in by Ovechkin from the low slot for his NHL-leading 30th goal of the season.
     The Capitals kept the momentum and took their first lead of the contest with 2:22 to go in the frame. Tom Wilson placed a cross-ice pass from the right circle and John Carlson blasted a one-time slap shot from the slot.
     Washington made it a two-goal cushion at 1:52 of the third period on the power play. Andre Burakovsky moved the puck from the top right circle to the top left circle and Brett Connolly smacked a one-time slap shot for the tally. It was his fourth goal in the last five games and fifth goal in his last eight games.