Capitals score 6, defeat Panthers to stay hot

WASHINGTON -- Tom Wilson and Dylan Strome scored in the opening minute of the second period to spark the Washington Capitals to a 6-3 win against the Florida Panthers at Capital One Arena on Saturday.

Wilson and Connor McMichael each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals (47-15-8), who have won four straight games and nine of their past 10. They have an NHL-best 102 points, lead the Carolina Hurricanes by 14 points for first place in the Metropolitan Division and have clinched a Stanley Cup Playoff berth. Alex Ovechkin and Martin Fehervary each had two assists, and Logan Thompson made 33 saves.

“I feel like we were really on our toes tonight and that led to -- against a really good but really aggressive team -- some holes,” Washington defenseman John Carlson said. “Obviously, that’s what they live and die by and when they’re clicking it’s tough to beat. If you can make a really good play here or there or break them down 1-on-1 here or there, that’s when you get your chances.”

Ovechkin remains seven goals from passing Wayne Gretzky (894) for the NHL record with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for the Panthers (42-25-3), who went 2-4-0 on a six-game road trip, their longest of the season, and are tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the Atlantic Division lead. Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves.

“We've had a couple tough nights here on this road trip,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “It's been six games, and you'd like to be .500 or better when you're on the road and we failed to do that, but we won't fold the season."

McMichael gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 3:15 of the first period when he deked Vanecek and slid the puck in on a breakaway.

Bennett tied it 1-1 at 6:35. Thompson went behind the net to play the puck and it caromed in front to Mackie Samoskevich, who passed across to Bennett for a shot into the open net.

“It was a pretty wild period,” McMichael said. “I feel like we would score, they would score and vice versa.”

Carlson made it 2-1 for Washington at 12:24 when his shot deflected in off the skate of Florida defenseman Niko Mikkola.

Seth Jones tied it 2-2 at 13:56 with a slap shot from just inside the blue line that went through a screen.

Anthony Beauvillier took a stretch pass from Rasmus Sandin and scored on a breakaway to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead at 14:56.

“I think we gave up too many odd-man rushes,” Bennett said. “They were coming with all this speed through the neutral zone and I think we just, too many times we let them get in for breakaways or odd-man rushes. We can’t let that happen.”

Jonah Gadjovich then tied it 3-3 from the low slot at 15:27.

Wilson put the Capitals in front 4-3 seven seconds into the second, scoring on a breakaway.

“We’re fine [after one period],” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said, “and then in the second period, boom, right out of the gate, we put them back on their heels, score on a face-off play, and then just took over the game there.”

Strome made it 5-3 at 59 seconds when Ovechkin’s pass deflected off his skate and over Vanecek’s right pad.

“We were tied at that point and they came out hot in the second period, and I guess we just kind of weren't quite ready,” Gadjovich said. “But there was still plenty of game left to answer back, and we just didn't quite have it there in the second half of the game.”

Andrew Mangiapane pushed the lead to 6-3 at 5:57, scoring in front off a pass from Ovechkin.

“We liked what we were doing with the puck,” McMichael said of the second period. “It was kind of our play without the puck, just tighten it up on our wall plays and just little touches. So, I thought we did a really good job limiting chances after [the first].”

NOTES: The Capitals scored two goals in the opening minute of a period for the 11th time in franchise history and first since Oct. 7, 2017 (Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie, 46 seconds into the first). … Strome set an NHL career high with 68 points (23 goals, 45 assists) in 70 games, surpassing his 67 points in 82 games last season. … Ovechkin has six points (two goals, four assists) during a four-game point streak. … Bennett has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past 10 games.