Game on.

Brian Sutherby traded today to Anaheim, for a 2009 2nd rounder. This made room for Semin's return to the roster.

Gonna be lots of trapping in the neutral zone again.... which means....

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

3:33 in, a weak shot from the blue line by Salei, deflected in front of Kolzig....

1-0 Panthers.

At 4:27 in, another goos chance, and the Caps commit the foul to prevent another goal.

Panthers' PP.

Laich with the steal, a weak effort by Vokoun on the shot, and it's a SHG to tie things up.

1-1

Penalty killed.

Now Ovechkin skates through the entire Florida team on the ice save one, and the last man commits the foul... Caps' PP.

Caps get a 5 on 3 for :51.... 11:49 left 1st.

Vokoun save and cleared at :37... into the Caps' D end at :17.... back in and the 5 on 3 is over, 1:09 left on the PP....

cleared.... in at :46, cleared at :34.... in at :19.... killed.

2SOGs, and the Panthers ice it to get a stoppage.

Nice possession shift by Brashear, Laich, and Steckel, kept it in for well over a minute, but in the end... no result- not a shot.

Clark trips a guy, and the Cats get their second PP of the game.

Killed, and this time it's the Panthers with the good, long possession shift that results in zippy.

Under 4:00 left in the 1st.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz... icing, Panthers, 1:47 left 1st.

Floridad gets one man behind the net and 2 in front, and they score.

2-1 Panthers, :50.6 left 1st.

2-1 Florida, end 1st.

Stats after 1:

SOGs 11-8 Caps

Hits 5-2 Caps (generous scoring, both ways)

Giveaways 3-0 Caps

Takeaways 6-3 Caps

Blocks 5-5

Faceoffs 65% Panthers (13 of 20)

2nd on, and a stoppage :09 in- nice flow to this game.... Clark gets a breakaway, but Vokoun denies.... another stoppage at :51 in.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

14:21 left 2nd, some action- Green holds the stick, and heads for the box.

Panthers' PP.

That's killed, and now at 12:08 left, Ovechkin gets flattened from behind, and the Caps get the "makeup" PP.

It went to 4 on 4, but now the Caps get a 4 on 3 for :49 (10:57 left 2nd)....

cleared at :37... "too cutesy" Laughlin says... cleared again at :16... it's 4 on 4 again.

That's over, and the Caps get a short :38 PP... Backstorm hits the crossbar... cleared, and... killed.

 

Florida scores with 6:15 left 2nd, and I think this one's over except for the clock.

3-1 Panthers.

Just over 1:00 left 2nd, and there's a new line for the Caps- 19,8,28. They don't get much done, but when they come off, there's conversation on the bench. I hope Hanlon lets them stay together the rest of the game.

3-1 Panthers, end 2nd.

Wow, interesting line.

I can't stay. Just wanted to say hello, and let's go, Caps!

The top pick is ours. Yay!

3rd is on, and Ovschkin catches Stumpel with his head down... but they don't take advantage of it, and at 18:34 left in reg there's a stoppage, and a line change.

13:06 left in regulation, Jokinen puts the game away for keeps (his 2nd of the evening).

4-1 Panthers.

Off a faceoff, Fleishmann takes a shot which is going wide, but.... Semin whacks it out of mid-air, and it's 4-2 at 11:46 left in regulation.

7:19 left 3rd, Semin is held trying to get in on Vokoun.... Caps to the PP.

And, just like that, the Caps are back in the game- Chris Clark, from Ovechkin and Semin (I think).

4-3 Panthers, just over 6:00 left in regulation.

edit: turns out the assists were Ovechkin and Nylander. Semin was closest to the net, but never had a stick on it.

1:26 left, Kolzig is off and it's EN time, Caps skate 6 on 5....

:50 left....

:30....

stoppage at :24.1, in the Florida D zone. Hanlon calls the timeout.... Gordon on the ice for the draw.... Ovechkin has 2 shots blocked.... cleared at :06....

4-3 Panthers, final.