The Washington Capitals don’t usually open the playoffs on the road. However, that is the situation that has played out for the Capitals. Tuesday, the Capitals started their Stanley Cup Playoff journey in Sunrise to play the President’s Trophy winner, the Florida Panthers.
Still, Washington was able to get off to a great start against a ruckus crowd inside the FLA Live Arena. Washington got an early power play. Just 49 seconds into the game as Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas was called for high sticking on Tom Wilson.
Less than a minute later while on the power play, the Panthers were called for a delay of game penalty giving Washington a 5-on-3 advantage.
Florida looked to do a great job killing off Washington’s two-man advantage. But just as the power play expired, Tom Wilson deposited the puck in the net with a rebound off an Anthony Mantha slapshot.
The crowd inside FLA Live was momentarily silenced. Washington, who has a huge question mark at goaltender, could not ask for a better start.
The air was sucked out of the building, as it appeared as if the Panthers were ready to get momentum by killing off two early power plays. However, the bounce of the puck went right to Wilson and he was able to put it past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
The Capitals will need every goal it can manufacture. Florida led the NHL with 4.11 goals per game.
