Panthers Push By Captials

     The Florida Panthers outdueled the Washington Capitals 5-3 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night. The Panthers continued their homestand.

      Washington(20-14-5) sprinted out to a 1-0 lead at the 3:53 mark of the first period. Tom Wilson snapped a shot off a rebounds from the inner right circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his 18th goal of the season. 

      Florida(21-15-2) evened it 1-1 just 42 seconds later. Jeff Petry passed from the high slot and Anton Lundell tapped it in from the left side of the crease by Logan Thompson for his 13rd goal of the campaign. 

      The Panthers added a power-play goal to make it 2-1 with 7:15 remaining in the first. Brad Marchand made a drop pass from the high slot and Seth Jones pushed a square pass to his right. Sam Reinhart collected his 20th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the right circle. It was the ninth consecutive season and the 10th time of his NHL career that Reinhart reached the 20-goal plateau. 

      The Caps tied it up 2-2 on a 5-on-3 power play with 43 seconds to go in the period. Jakob Chychrun zipped a pass from above the right circle and Dylan Strome passed it from the right goal line. Wilson released a snap shot from the low slot for his second tally of the contest and 19th goal this season. 

      After a scoreless second period, the Capitals regained the lead 3-2 at 3:11 of the third period. Wilson backhanded a pass from the right corner. Strome fired a forehand shot from the top of the zone for his eighth goal of the year. 

       The Cats made it 3-3 at the 6:16 mark of the third. Seth Jones angled a pass from the top of the zone. Sam Bennett blasted a one-time slap shot from the top right circle which was deflected by Marchand in the crease area and saved. Marchand batted the puck in on the rebound with his backhand swat for his 22nd goal this season. 

       It became 4-3 for Florida with 6:48 left in the period. Lundell sent the puck forward from the left circle and Reinhart connected a diagonal pass from the left corner. Aaron Ekblad rifled a slap shot from the high slot for his second tally of the year. 

      The Capitals pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with two minutes to go. Reinhart put the puck into an empty net with as he shoveled a backhand shot from his own zone with 34.1 seconds left in the third. It was his second goal of the game and 21st goal in 2025-26.