SUNRISE, Fla. - After gaining momentum with an exhilarating overtime win in Game 4 less than 48 hours ago, the Panthers will look to take the lead in their Round 1 playoff series with the Capitals when the two teams battle once again in Game 5 at FLA Live Arena on Wednesday.
"They took a breath, and hopefully that's good for our group," Panthers interim head coach Andrew Brunette said. "I think it was a really good rallying point for the group. They were really excited and had some good energy this morning. We'll see how it carries over into tonight."
PREVIEW: Panthers look to carry momentum in Game 5 vs. Capitals
Turning a best-of-7 series into a best-of-3, Carter Verhaeghe chased down his own rebound in the extra frame before sending a shot past Ilya Samsonov to lock in the win in Game 4. Getting the game to overtime, Sam Reinhart scored to make it 2-2 with just 2:04 remaining in regulation.
With the action shifting from D.C. back to Sunrise, the series is tied 2-2.
"After a big loss or a big win, you've got to turn the page," Panthers forward Claude Giroux said. "We want to take a little bit of that momentum that we had at the end of last game. I think that last game was probably one of our best games overall being able to play well in front of Bob."
Indeed it was.
Shaking up the defensive pairings to generate a spark -- including moving deadline acquisition Ben Chiarot up to play alongside Aaron Ekblad -- the Panthers successfully held the Capitals to just 16 shots on goal in Game 4, the fewest shots against in a playoff game in franchise history.
With all six defensemen finishing at or above 50% in terms of attempted shot share, the Panthers led 49-27 in shot attempts and 21-14 in scoring chances at 5-on-5 in the victory.
"From the D side, I think we had a little better gap, were a little earlier up in the zones," said Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling, who boasts a team-high +6 rating in the series. "We had a lot of people coming home too, backchecking and stuff like that. I think it was a team effort."
Despite only having to make 14 saves in the win, Sergei Bobrovsky made several game-saving stops in Game 4, including robbing Marcus Johansson on a breakaway a moment before he skated to the bench to give the Panthers a 6-on-5 advantage just before Reinhart's tying goal.
Set to go again tonight, Bobrovsky has allowed two or fewer goals in two of his last four starts. "He's playing well right now," Giroux said. "Every night that we've played in the playoffs so far, he's given us a chance to win. That's what you want from your goaltender. He's made some big saves for us, a couple breakaways and 2-on-1's, just saves that kind of get the guys going."
Cracking the scoresheet in three of four games in the series, Verhaeghe, who picked up a pair of goals in Game 4, leads the Panthers in goals (3) and points (5) in the postseason. After him, Ekblad is second in scoring with four points, while eight other players have tallied at least two.
Providing the heroics the last time out, Verhaeghe became just the fourth player in franchise history to score goal in overtime in the playoffs, and only the second player to do so since 1996.
"He's just relentless," Brunette said. "He's relentless on pucks. His work ethic is off the charts. He brings a lot of speed. He does a lot of things that allow us to play the game we like to play. He's a really important part of that identity as group, and it was on display the other night."
As far as lineup changes, Brunette is sticking with the same defensive pairs we saw in Game 4, but moving the forwards around a bit. Verhaeghe is back on the top line with Aleksander Barkov and Anthony Duclair, while Giroux is moving back with Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Bennett.
Not on the ice for this morning's skate, Mason Marchment, who found the back of the net during Florida's win in Game 2, will be a game-time decision as he deals with a nagging injury. In his place, Maxim Mamin slid into his spot on the third line alongside Anton Lundell and Reinhart.
"He's dealing with it, maintaining it, and he's done a pretty good job with it," Brunette said of Marchment's injury, which caused him to miss some time near the end of the regular season.
Across the ice, the Capitals will attempt to continue containing Florida's top-ranked offense for as long as they can. While the Panthers averaged more than four goals per contest during the regular season, they've been held to three or fewer in three of four games in the series thus far.
In Game 4, T.J. Oshie scored on the power play to give Washington an early 1-0 lead in the first period, while Evgeny Kuznetsov, following a high hit on Bennett, put the Capitals up 2-1 at the midway point of the third period when he skated down the ice and lifted the puck into the cage.
Washington has gone 5-for-17 on the power play in the series, while Florida has gone 0-for-13.
Led by their 2018 Stanley Cup-winning core, Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom are tied for first on the Capitals with five points each, while Oshie and John Carlson have tallied four apiece.
Despite traveling with the team to South Florida, Tom Wilson, who scored the opening goal of the series, will miss his fourth straight game while recovering from an injury suffered in Game 1.
Taking over for Vitek Vanecek in Washington's net in the third period of Game 2, Samsonov will start for the third straight game. Turning aside 29 of 32 shots in Game 4, Samsonov has posted a 1-1-0 record on top of a 1.66 goals-against average and .949 save percentage in the series.
During the regular season, Florida won a franchise-record 34 games at home.
"We talk all the time about the playoffs being a momentum thing," Brunette said. "It was a big comeback win [in Game 4]. I thought we played a pretty good game. Obviously getting that win is big, and then we come home where we've played very well all year. I think we're comfortable at home. I expect us to come out and play a really good game."
PANTHERS PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Carter Verhaeghe -- Aleksander Barkov -- Anthony Duclair
Jonathan Huberdeau -- Sam Bennett -- Claude Giroux
Maxim Mamin -- Anton Lundell -- Sam Reinhart
Noel Acciari -- Eetu Luostarinen -- Patric Hornqvist
Defensemen
Ben Chiarot -- Aaron Ekblad
Gustav Forsling -- MacKenzie Weegar
Brandon Montour -- Radko Gudas
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Spencer Knight
WHO'S HOT
Panthers: Carter Verhaeghe has five points (three goals, two assists) over his last four games. … Aaron Ekblad has four points (one goal, three assists) over his last four games. … Jonathan Huberdeau has three points (one goal, two assists) over his last four games.
Capitals: Alex Ovechkin has five points (one goal, four assists) over his last four games. … Nicklas Backstrom has five points (one goal, four assists) over his last four games. … T.J. Oshie has four points (three goals, one assist) over his last four games.
THEY SAID IT
"There's a lot of emotions that go on. You lose Game 3 and you're down a little bit, but we just believed that we could come back in this series, and now it's 2-2. It's a lot of emotions, but that's why you play the game." - Panthers forward Claude Giroux on winning Game 4.
"We can play faster and get back to the way we played the first three games. Even in Game 2, I thought we played pretty well; it was stretches where we didn't that they capitalized on. We've had a good series so far." - Capitals defenseman Justin Schultz following Game 4.
FIVE CATS STATS
- The Panthers and Capitals have combined for 393 hits.
- Eetu Luostarinen has won 18 of his 26 faceoffs (69.2%).
- Aleksander Barkov leads the Panthers with 15 shots on goal.
- Sam Bennett leads Florida with 23 hits.
- Radko Gudas leads the Panthers with eight blocked shots.
PANTHERS NEWS
HOW TO WATCH / LISTEN
When:Wednesday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where:FLA Live Arena - Sunrise, FL
TV & Streaming: Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports App, ESPN2
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 640 WMEN (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM App & Streaming 932
Tickets:
HERE
IN-ARENA ACTIVATIONS
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Support the Florida Panthers Foundation and try to win big with the 50/50 Raffle.
- As part of a special pre-game happy hour, fans can enjoy drink specials, face painting and a jam with a DJ outside of the arena at the City Furniture Patio an hour prior to doors opening.
- Keep your eyes peeled around the arena throughout the game for delicious new food destinations including a Mac and Cheese Bar, Pizza Stand, Kosher Stand and Taco Stand.
- The first 15,000 fans to arrive will receive a rally towel sponsored by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
