The offense of the Florida Panthers finally opened up Thursday in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals.
Five different Panthers players scored a goal, as they chased Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek after just two periods and 18 shots on goal.
Meanwhile, Florida’s goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 of 27 shots to lead the Panthers to a 5-1 win. The series is now tied at 1-1.
The First period flipped in a blink of an eye
The Capitals started the game as the more aggressive team. They controlled the pace of the game for the first 15 or so minutes. However, being a wild card team against the Eastern Conference’s top-seed, the margin for error is slim.
Washington learned that lesson the hard way. The Capitals failed to clear the puck out of their defensive zone and the Panthers made them pay.
Aron Ekblad redirected a slap shot from Aleksander Barkov past Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek to give Florida a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers didn’t waste time extending their lead. Jonathan Huberdeau danced through the Capitals defense before Barkov finished the job to give Florida the 2-0 lead at the 17:58 mark of the period.
Game got away from Vanecek and the Capitals in the second period
Washington caught a break with a hooking penalty on Panthers young forward Anton Lundell, giving the Capitals the power play 2:07 into the second period.
Nicklas Backstrom capitalized with a wicked wrister set up by John Carlson and Alex Ovechkin to cut the deficit down to one at 2-1.
But the celebration off Backstrom’s goal was short-lived, as the Panthers answered right back just 27 seconds later.
Vanecek gave up yet another soft goal. In a blink Mason Marchment deposited the puck past the Caps goalie to push the Panthers’ lead back to two at 3-1.
Washington caught its second break of the period when Marchment was hit with double minors for slashing and roughing on Nick Jensen. The Capitals got a four-minute power play.
Unfortunately, the Capitals’ power play was killed off by the Panthers. In fact, the Capitals didn’t create much of a threat.
Washington managed four shots on goal during the four-minute power play with no mustard. Any threat of a rally seemingly was halted at that moment.
Then the onslaught erupted with the Panthers scoring two goals during a two-minute stretch that put the game out of reach.
Vanecek got beat by Lundell at the 15:24 mark of the second. Carter Verhaeghe got the puck past him 17:32 into the frame to extend Florida’s lead by four.
Panthers fans chanted “We want 10!” in jubilation of the offensive explosion in the second period.
The calls have began for Ilya Samsonov to replace Vanecek in net for the Capitals
Vanecek allowed five goals on 18 shots throug two periods.
Ultimately, Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette had no choice but to sit Vanecek and start Samsonov to start the third.
Samsonov stopped all 17 shots he faced in the third period. One can argue the level of differences of pressure from what Vanecek faced with the game on the line and the lack thereof that Samsonov was dealing with the outcome spelled out.
Florida fans serenaded the moment by throwing rats on the ice. The Panthers took Game 2 by the final score of 5-1 to even the series.
Tied at 1-1 the series shifts to Washington, D.C. for Game 3 and 4. In the grand scheme, the Capitals accomplished their goal. They took one from the Panthers in Florida. The series is guaranteed to return to Sunrise for a Game 5.
Washington will need to regroup. They’ve flashed their brilliance in each game. However, their biggest weakness has been glaring in both games… the goaltending.
Laviolette will have a decision to make. Does he stick with Vanecek, who showed a better “body of work” in the regular season. Or does Samsonov get his shot, starting with Game 3?
The Capitals will also have to overcome Tom Wilson’s injury. The star forward exited Game 1 early in the first period after scoring the series’ first game. He was diagnosed with a lower body injury and did not return to Game 1 or play in Game 2.
Meanwhile, the Panthers responded nicely after being stunned Tuesday night. They’ve evened the series and regained momentum heading to the nation’s capital. Florida flexed in Game 2 how explosive their offense can be. Now they’ll just look to carry Thursday into Saturday.
