Panthers stay on a roll with win over Capitals

Field Level Media|published: Sat 24th February, 21:27 2024

Feb 22, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second period at Amalie Arena. credits: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Gustav Forsling scored with 1:19 left in overtime as the host Florida Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Saturday night in Sunrise, Florida.

The Panthers are 11-2-0 in their past 13 games as Forsling scored his first overtime goal since the 2021-22 season.

Florida's Carter Verhaeghe tied the score 2-2 with 3:30 left in the third period. Verhaeghe has 31 goals this season and ranks second in the NHL with 17 third-period tallies.

Nick Cousins had Florida's other goal, and Brandon Montour added two assists. Backup goalie Anthony Stolarz made 22 saves in the win.

Tom Wilson drew two key penalties and scored a goal to lead Washington. Sonny Milano scored Washington's other goal, and Charlie Lindgren stopped 26 shots.

Capitals forward Pierrick Dube, a 23-year-old undrafted player, made his NHL debut.

After a scoreless first period, Florida scored on its first shot of the second. With 4:03 expired, Cousins scored on a deflection off a shot by Dmitry Kulikov.

It was Cousins' third goal of the season and his first since Nov. 6, as he had missed 12 consecutive games due to injury.

The Capitals tied the score 1-1 on Milano's tap-in power-play goal 18:31 into the second period.

Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola was penalized for hooking Wilson to set up the opportunity. Washington scored with 20 seconds left on its power play after a pair of crisp cross-ice passes: Max Pacioretty to Rasmus Sandin to Milano, who was wide open to the right of the goal.

Washington took a 2-1 lead on Wilson's power-play goal with 9:49 remaining in the third.

First, Wilson drew a penalty as Aleksander Barkov was called for holding. Then, Dylan Strome dumped the puck in off the back boards. Wilson outraced Mikkola for the puck before going to a forehand-to-backhand move, slipping the puck in between Stolarz's pads.

After Nick Jensen was called for hooking Evan Rodrigues, Florida tied the score on its own power play. Verhaeghe, with plenty of time and space, moved forward and blasted a shot over Lindgren's glove.

—Field Level Media