Panthers 5, Capitals 4
Stephen Weiss collected two goals and an assist and defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Brian Campbell also recorded three-point games as the Florida Panthers skated to a 5-4 home triumph over the Washington Capitals on Monday.
Weiss and Mike Santorelli tallied 13 seconds apart in the first period and Sean Bergenheim netted one of three power-play goals for Florida. The Southeast Division-leading Panthers increased their cushion to seven points over the second-place Capitals by improving to 6-1-2 in their last nine games.
With former Capitals netminder Jose Theodore plagued by flu-like symptoms, Scott Clemmensen started his second straight game and turned aside 28 shots to improve to 3-0-0 on the season.
After Weiss opened the scoring at 6:50 of the first period with a deflection, Santorelli wasted little time in doubling the advantage by floating a sharp-angle shot past Michal Neuvirth for his first goal since Nov. 17.
Kulikov, who drew an interference penalty on Troy Brouwer, gave Florida a 3-0 advantage by converting the ensuing power play with a blast from the point.
Bergenheim and Weiss tallied 8 1/2 minutes apart to give the Panthers a 5-1 edge, before Washington stormed back with three unanswered goals - capped by Jason Chimera's tally with 1:44 left in the third period.
Brooks Laich scored for the second straight game and Mike Knuble and rookie Cody Eakin netted their respective third goals of the season for Washington, which has dropped nine of its last 12 games (3-8-1).