Down 4-0, the Washington Capitals scored three unanswered goals in the third period to pull within one. That was the closest they’d get. The Florida Panthers hung on for a 5-3 win, delaying Washington’s chance at clinching the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals came into this game needing a win in any fashion as well as a regulation loss by the second-place New York Islanders which they got in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Negative side is they missed a chance to win the division but positive side is the Islanders didn’t gain ground either.
The Capitals (47-25-8, 102 points) maintain a three-point lead over the Islanders.