Capitals erase 2-1 deficit to beat Panthers

The Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Saturday at Capital One Arena. Washington scored three straight goals across the final two periods in a physical Capitals Panthers matchup, erasing a 2-1 deficit. Read more: Capitals erase 2-1 deficit to beat Panthers

Jack St. Ivany opened the scoring just 2:21 into the game. Brady Tkachuk answered twice for Florida, tying it and then putting the Panthers ahead 2-1 before the first period ended.

Tkachuk's second goal came on a five-minute power play, the turning point of an otherwise even Capitals Panthers opening period.

Related: Capitals try to end home skid against surging Panthers

Wilson ejected for boarding

Capitals forward Tom Wilson was ejected at 8:55 of the first period for boarding Panthers rookie Sandis Vilmanis from behind. The hit drove Vilmanis into the boards. He did not return, and the Panthers still have not disclosed his injury.

Vilmanis entered the night off a four-point game against Chicago on Wednesday. Those four points were part of a seven-point run, already a career high in his rookie season.

Florida was already missing Brad Marchand, Aleksander Barkov, Jonah Gadjovich and Anton Lundell, so Vilmanis's exit cost the Panthers a fifth forward. Washington, for its part, is without defensemen Vincent Desharnais and Rasmus Sandin, and forward Patrick Thomas.

"That's their job," said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. "That's an unfortunate hit," said Panthers forward Cole Reinhardt.

After that, Florida cashed in on the major, with Tkachuk's power-play goal at 10:00 making it 2-1. That lead held until the second period.

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Capitals answer with three goals

Alex Tuch tied it 2-2 at 4:39 of the second period on an unassisted goal. Aliaksei Protas then put Washington ahead for good at 14:55, finishing a feed from Pierre-Luc Dubois and Ryan Leonard.

Then Dubois returned the favor early in the third, scoring off a Protas assist to make it 4-2. Sam Bennett pulled Florida within one with 46 seconds left, but Washington held on.

Washington outshot Florida 31-30, and Logan Thompson made 27 saves for the win. Akira Schmid stopped 27 of 31 in the loss. Florida actually won the special-teams battle, scoring once on five power plays to Washington's none on three. Still, Washington improved to 9-6-0, while Florida fell to 9-6-2.

Washington won despite playing the final 51 minutes without one of its most physical forwards. That result shows this team has more than one way to win games.

The result also snapped a two-game Washington home losing streak, its first such stretch at Capital One Arena since January. This desk previewed that skid a day earlier. Florida visits Boston on Sunday, and Washington heads to Ottawa on Tuesday. Both teams are still waiting to hear whether Wilson's hit draws a call from the Department of Player Safety.