Chychrun breaks tie in 3rd, Capitals edge slumping Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Jakob Chychrun scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Washington Capitals handed the Florida Panthers their fourth straight loss with a 4-1 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday.

Chychrun gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 1:18, scoring glove side from the point through a screen during a 5-on-3 power play.

Lars Eller (18:32) and Ivan Miroshnichenko (19:37) each scored into an empty net for the 4-1 final.

“Early in the game, you could feel two teams [who are] really structured,” Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. “There was not a lot of space, not a lot of shots either way or scoring chances either way. You could tell it was who was going to crack first and who would be able to stick with it. I thought we got away from it late in the second when they grabbed some momentum. The third period was our best period by far."

Chychrun finished the game with a goal and two assists, and Eller scored twice for Washington (14-6-1), which had lost two straight since Alex Ovechkin fractured his left fibula in a 6-2 win against the Utah Hockey Club on Nov. 18. Logan Thompson made 20 saves.

“From the puck drop I thought we were controlling the play all game," Thompson said. “Credit to the guys, that was a complete, perfect game from a five-man unit.”

Niko Mikkola scored, and Spencer Knight made 27 saves for Florida (12-9-1), which is 1-6-0 in its past seven games. Sam Reinhart had his 13-game point streak end.

“There is a piece of our game that is missing and we are going to have to find it,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “I think we had it at times, but not for a long period of time. We missed some chances and stuff, but we probably were good for seven, eight minutes at the end of the second period. We earned that. We have to stretch that out for longer periods of time."

Mikkola gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead at 7:00 of the first period. He scored blocker side from the bottom of the left circle after taking a pass from Sam Bennett on a 3-on-2 rush.

“It was a good battle," Mikkola said. “Washington is a good team and they gave their best. I think we are a little off right now, not getting the bounces. Tough loss.”

Eller tied it 1-1 at 17:49 of the first. He got behind the defense, took a cross-ice pass from Chychrun and scored blocker side from in tight.

After a scoreless second period, Chychrun put Washington in front for good with Florida defensemen Uvis Balinskis (tripping at 19:38 of the second) and Aaron Ekblad (slashing at 16 seconds of the third) in the penalty box.

“You close out a team like that by grabbing a lead and not sitting back and letting them attack your net,” Carbery said. “We were playing on the front foot, sort of dictating the pace to them. We were in the offensive zone, and that is a great way to close out wins.”

NOTE: Washington has seven comeback wins this season, which is second in the NHL behind the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights (eight).