Panthers 5, Capitals 2
WASHINGTON -- Florida left winger Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice and reserve goaltender Al Montoya registered 36 saves as the Panthers opened up the second half of the season with an impressive 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.
Huberdeau's second goal of the night, a ringing shot off the near post, was his 10th goal of the season, and it sent some in the Verizon Center crowd heading for the exits with the Capitals down 4-0. The 22-year-old, who added a first-period assist, has 16 points in his past 15 games.
Washington, playing without left winger Alex Ovechkin, forced to sit out for skipping the All-Star Game, and goalie Braden Holtby, who was given a rare night off, showed some fight in the third with goals by center Nicklas Backstrom and left winger Andre Burakovsky.
However, Montoya picked up his eighth win in 13 starts this season by quieting the Capitals' high-flying power play, blanking Washington on eight opportunities with the extra man.
The Panthers, who have now won four straight games, had not been victorious in D.C. since Dec. 9, 2010, a span of 10 games.
Florida took the air out of the building quickly in the second period as center Vincent Trocheck flipped an innocent looking shot on net that somehow squeaked by Capitals backup goalie Philipp Grubauer (14 saves) for a 3-0 lead 21 seconds into the frame.
In a whistle-filled, disjointed first period that had eight penalties, the Panthers put themselves in some precarious positions but were able to survive and then turn the tables on Washington.
All-Star right winger Jaromir Jagr opened the scoring by delivering a perfect pass to Huberdeau, who easily beat Grubauer for a 1-0 edge with 9:17 left in the first.
Later in the period, the Panthers found themselves on a 5-on-3 power play and center Nick Bjugstad feathered a nifty, no-look pass to center Aleksander Barkov, who went top shelf to give Florida a 2-0 lead.
Washington fired 16 shots at Montoya, and had a couple of other good looks that went wide of the net, but were 0-for-5 on the power play in the first period.
The regulation defeat ended a run of 13 consecutive home games in which the Capitals had earned a point, their longest run since 2009-10.
NOTES: The Capitals and NHL announced makeup dates for two games cancelled by a winter storm last month. Washington's Jan. 22 home game against Anaheim will now be played on April 10 and its Jan. 24 contest against Pittsburgh has been moved to March 1. ... Florida starting G Roberto Luongo did not face the Capitals in any of the teams' three matchups this season despite 20 career wins against Washington. ... Washington D Brooks Orpik practiced Tuesday for the first time since Dec. 7. He has been out of action since Nov. 10 with a lower-body injury. ... Florida's scratches were C Dave Bolland and C Brandon Pirri. ... The Capitals scratched C Alex Ovechkin (lower body) and C Marcus Johansson.