The Florida Panthers called upon a well-rested James Reimer, with the Washington Capitals summoning superstar netminder Braden Holtby. Would the desperate, yet struggling Cats dethrone the defending champs?
The first period commenced with hardly any excitement. Both sides didn’t register many shots, as the Cats and Caps seemed sluggish out of the floodgates early on. The Panthers received a power-play opportunity but couldn’t capitalize or even record a shot-on-goal.
However, the tale of the story suddenly turned, as the excitement gradually picked up. The Florida Panthers struck first blood, with Vincent Trocheck receiving credit for the goal (1-0 FLA).