Washington, DC: Capitals Rally Past Panthers 4-3 After Tom Wilson Ejection

The Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at Capital One Arena in Washington, rallying in the second period after Tom Wilson was ejected in the first for a boarding hit that knocked Sandis Vilmanis out of the game.

Jack St. Ivany opened the scoring 2:21 into the game with his first career NHL goal, a soft shot from the right boards that slipped past Florida goalie Akira Schmid. Brady Tkachuk tied the game 52 seconds later after a Washington turnover, scoring his ninth goal of the season.

Wilson ejected, Panthers take the lead

Wilson drew a five minute major for boarding and a game misconduct at 8:55 of the first period. The Associated Press reported his hit to the back of Vilmanis knocked the Florida forward headfirst into the area where the boards and the glass meet, and Vilmanis did not return. Tkachuk scored his second goal of the game at the 10 minute mark, on the extended power play that followed, to put Florida ahead 2-1.

Logan Thompson held the score there. The Capitals' official recap said Thompson stopped Carter Verhaeghe on a lateral move during the long penalty kill and turned away Matthew Tkachuk in the final seconds of the period.

Capitals rally in the second

Alex Tuch tied the game 2-2 at 4:39 of the second period with his 11th goal of the season. Washington took the lead at 14:55 of the second when Pierre-Luc Dubois fed Aliaksei Protas at the side of the net for an open finish, the goal that finished a passing play the AP described as starting with Ryan Leonard behind the net.

Dubois made it 4-2 at 4:42 of the third period, with Protas returning the assist. Thompson finished with 27 saves for his seventh win of the season. Florida pulled within one at 19:13 of the third, when Sam Bennett scored with Schmid pulled for an extra attacker. The Capitals then held the puck in the Florida end for the final minute, and Schmid never got off the ice again.

The win closed a three game homestand that had started with two losses, and it snapped a two game losing streak. Caps coach Spencer Carbery told the team's site his group needed the result. "We needed a good performance today, with the way the last couple games went," Carbery said. Florida coach Paul Maurice said Vilmanis will be seen by another doctor on Sunday and the team will know more after imaging. The Panthers play at Boston on Sunday. The Capitals play at Ottawa on Tuesday night.