Panthers end season by shutting out Caps
WASHINGTON -- James Reimer stopped 33 shots for his second shutout in two days, and the Florida Panthers defeated the Washington Capitals 2-0 on Sunday night, snapping Washington's four-game winning streak in a game without playoff implications.
Derek MacKenzie scored a short-handed goal midway through the second period, and Denis Malgin added a power-play tally at 9:47 of the third period as the Panthers (35-36-11) finished a disappointing season with back-to-back wins after losing six straight.
Reimer made 30 saves to blank the Bufalo Sabres on Saturday night.
With home ice secured throughout the playoffs, the Capitals (55-19-8) rested several players, including T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams.
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday night, meaning the Leafs finished as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference and will be Washington's first-round opponent. The teams have never met in the playoffs.
The two straight wins aren't likely to alter Florida interim coach Tom Rowe's fate as published reports say he won't be retained. Row is 24-27-10 since taking over for Gerard Gallant (11-9-1). After winning the Atlantic Division a year ago, the Panthers finished sixth in the Atlantic Division.
Braden Holtby stopped 13 of 14 shots before being replaced by Philipp Grubauer to start the third period.
Florida's Vincent Trocheck hit the post midway through the scoreless first period, and Holtby made a pair of point blank saves as the period ended.
Washington had a 19-14 advantage in shots after two periods, but trailed 1-0.
With the Capitals on a power play, MacKenzie picked up a loose puck in his own end, skated up ice and beat Holtby with a wrist shot from the left circle for his sixth goal at 15:37.
NOTES: Washington D John Carlson (lower-body injury) missed his fourth game and RW Brett Connolly (illness) missed his second. The Capitals rested D Matt Niskanen, RW Justin Williams and RW T.J. Oshie. The Capitals recalled forwards Garrett Mitchell and Chandler Stephenson from Hershey of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the duo played on the fourth line. Mitchell, 25, made his NHL debut. ... The Panthers were without G Robert Luongo (lower-body injury), D Aaron Ekblad (upper body), C Aleksander Barkov (upper body), LW Jussi Jokinen (lower body) and G Reto Berra (personal reasons); and C Michael Sgarbossa was a scratch. ... Oshie tied Alex Ovechkin for the team lead in goals (33) despite missing 14 games. ... Braden Holtby led the NHL with nine shutouts. ... Washington set a franchise record with 53 wins in regulation and overtime, topping the previous mark of 52 set last season.