SB Nation DC - Capitals Vs. Panthers: Panthers Pounce Early, Never Look Back In 5-4 Win Over Capshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2011-12-05T22:20:34-05:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23770242011-12-05T22:20:34-05:002011-12-05T22:20:34-05:00Capitals Vs. Panthers: Panthers Pounce Early, Never Look Back In 5-4 Win Over Caps
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<p>Playing against a division rival, games are worth four points. For the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a>, a win over the Southeast Division-leading <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.litterboxcats.com/">Florida Panthers</a> would mean cutting their five-point deficit to three points. That didn't happen, though.</p>
<p>The Panthers pounced early and often, scoring three unanswered goals to start the game and holding on for a 5-4 victory over the Caps, extending their division lead to seven points.</p>
<p><span>Stephen Weiss</span> scored twice for Florida, while <span>Mike Santorelli</span>, <span>Sean Bergenheim</span> and <span>Dmitry Kulikov</span> added goals of their own. <span>Mike Knuble</span>, <span>Cody Eakin</span>, <span>Brooks Laich</span> and <span>Jason Chimera</span> scored for Washington, who cut a 5-2 deficit to 5-4 late in the third period thanks to Chimera's deflection goal, but could not tie the game with <span>Michal Neuvirth</span> pulled in favor of an extra attacker.</p>
<p>The Caps had over 30 shots for the second straight game after only having 36 total in their first two games under Dale Hunter. The Panthers had 30 shots and Michal Neuvirth only stopped 25 of them.</p>
<p>Washington returns to action Wednesday against the team they beat Saturday at Verizon Center, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silversevensens.com/">Ottawa Senators</a>.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/12/5/2614456/capitals-vs-panthers-score-stephen-weissAdam Vingan2011-12-05T21:24:58-05:002011-12-05T21:24:58-05:00Capitals Vs. Panthers: Florida Extends Lead To 5-2 After 40 Minutes
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.litterboxcats.com/">Florida Panthers</a> didn't score as many goals in the second period as they did in the first period at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a>' expense, but things still aren't looking good for the visitors.</p>
<p><span>Sean Bergenheim</span> and <span>Stephen Weiss</span> scored for the Panthers, but <span>Cody Eakin</span> stopped the proverbial bleeding with a late goal as the Caps trail the Panthers 5-2 after 40 minutes.</p>
<p>Bergenheim's goal came on the power play, giving the Panthers three power play goals. It's the second time this season that the Caps have allowed three power play goals. <span>Tomas Fleischmann</span> made the Caps look foolish when he drove wide on <span>Michal Neuvirth</span> and drew all five Caps on the ice before passing to an open Weiss at 12:11. It was Weiss' second goal of the game.</p>
<p>Eakin scored another late goal for the Caps when he took <span>Mathieu Perreault's</span> centering pass from behind the net and beat <span>Scott Clemmensen</span> high for his third goal of the season.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/12/5/2614287/capitals-vs-panthers-score-stephen-weissAdam Vingan2011-12-05T20:25:55-05:002011-12-05T20:25:55-05:00Panthers Vs. Capitals: Panthers Pounce On Caps Early, Lead 3-1 After 20 Minutes
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<p>Perhaps the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.litterboxcats.com/">Florida Panthers</a> really wanted to see <span>Tomas Vokoun</span>.</p>
<p>The Panthers pounced on <span>Michal Neuvirth</span> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a> early and scored three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes.</p>
<p><span>Stephen Weiss</span> gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 6:50 on the power play. With <span>Mathieu Perreault</span> in the penalty box for high sticking, <span>Brian Campbell</span> fed Weiss, whose slap shot deflected off <span>Dennis Wideman's</span> stick and over Neuvirth's shoulder for his 10th goal of the season.</p>
<p>On the ensuing faceoff, <span>Mike Santorelli</span> took a pass from <span>Dmitry Kulikov</span>, drove down the right side and fired what seemed like a harmless snap shot. Yet, that harmless shot beat Neuvirth and just 13 seconds after Weiss' goal, the Panthers had a 2-0 lead.</p>
<p>Kulikov scored a goal of his own at 16:31 to give Florida its second power play goal of the night and a 3-0 lead. Luckily for Washington, <span>Mike Knuble</span> responded when his slap shot beat <span>Scott Clemmensen</span> five-hole for his third goal of the season and first in 16 games 40 seconds after Kulikov's goal.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/12/5/2614108/panthers-vs-capitals-panthers-pounce-on-caps-early-lead-3-1-after-20Adam Vingan2011-12-05T13:55:43-05:002011-12-05T13:55:43-05:00Panthers Vs. Capitals: Michal Neuvirth To Start, Alex Semin's Status Uncertain
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.litterboxcats.com/">Florida Panthers</a> had been promoting the return of <span>Tomas Vokoun</span> in an effort to hype their game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a> Monday, but much to their chagrin, <span>Michal Neuvirth</span> will start in goal for the Caps, according to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/post/michal-neuvirth-gets-the-start-over-tomas-vokoun-in-florida/2011/12/05/gIQAtEQdWO_blog.html"><i>The Washington Post</i>'s Tarik El-Bashir</a>.</p>
<p>Neuvirth made 32 saves in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silversevensens.com/">Ottawa Senators</a>, so when asked why he would receive the start despite Vokoun's homecoming, head coach Dale Hunter said that it was nothing more than a simple decision:</p>
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<p>"It's just a choice; there's not much to explain," Hunter said. "Me and Dave Prior talked about it and thought it was a good way to go."</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, <span>Alexander Semin</span> took part in morning skate and Hunter said Semin is "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capitals-insider/post/alexander-semin-skates-but-status-vs-panthers-unclear/2011/12/05/gIQA09jgWO_blog.html">ready to go</a>," but which forward will sit will be a game-time decision.</p>
<p><i>For more on Monday's game, follow this StoryStream throughout the day. For more on the Caps, visit SB Nation's Caps blog, </i><a href="http://japersrink.com">Japers' Rink</a><i>.</i></p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/12/5/2613050/panthers-vs-capitals-michal-neuvirth-tomas-vokoun-alex-seminAdam Vingan2011-12-04T22:14:11-05:002011-12-04T22:14:11-05:00Capitals Vs. Panthers: In First Road Game Under Dale Hunter, Caps Look To Gain Ground In Southeast Division
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<p>The Caps will face the Southeast Division-leading Panthers Monday in their first road game under Dale Hunter.</p> <p>For the better part of four years, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.japersrink.com/">Washington Capitals</a> have dominated the Southeast Division and have four division championships to prove it. Yet, entering Monday, the Caps are looking up in the standings at their opponent Monday, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.litterboxcats.com/">Florida Panthers</a>.</p>
<p>A 5-9-1 skid cost Bruce Boudreau his job, but Washington lost its first two games under new coach Dale Hunter before a 3-2 overtime victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silversevensens.com/">Ottawa Senators</a> Saturday. A 3-7-0 record in their last 10 games, juxtaposed by the Panthers' 6-3-1 run in the same span, has the Caps five points behind in second place in the Southeast Division.</p>
<p><span>Tomas Vokoun</span> recorded a 20-save shutout in his first game against his former team October 18 in a 3-0 win. Monday will be Vokoun's first trip back to the city and franchise that he called home for four seasons.</p>
<p>Speaking of players and former teams, former Cap <span>Tomas Fleischmann</span> is having a comeback season with 27 points, 10th in the NHL. An injury-plagued 2010-11 season that saw Fleischmann leave the Caps via trade only led to 31 games. <span>Kris Versteeg</span>, like Fleischmann, has 12 goals.</p>
<p>Another former Cap, <span>Jose Theodore</span> has been solid in net for Florida with a 10-5-3 record, 2.28 GAA and .924 SV%.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/2011/12/4/2611397/capitals-vs-panthers-preview-dale-hunterAdam Vingan