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Caps cruise without Ovechkin, beat Panthers

Tue 16th, March 2010

Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - Brooks Laich had two goals and an assist as Washington took a 7-3 win over Florida as Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin served the first of a two-game suspension.

The NHL's best offense didn't seem to miss the NHL's top point-getter as Ovechkin began his two-game suspension for shoving Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell into the boards from behind in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win. Campbell is out for 7-to-8 weeks with a fracture to his clavicle and ribs as Ovechkin, who was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for the hit, was suspended for the second time this season.

"We tried harder because the game's No. 1 player wasn't there," Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau said of his team's response to Ovechkin's absence. "When he's not there, we don't rely on big brother."

Brendan Morrison had a goal and two assists while Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin each added a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who have won two of their last three.

Jose Theodore stopped 34 shots in the win for Washington, which holds a commanding 16-point lead over Pittsburgh for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Kamil Kreps had a goal and an assist while Steven Reinprecht and Michal Repik each lit the lamp for the Panthers, who have dropped two of their last three.

Tomas Vokoun started the game in net, but was pulled after giving up five goals on 21 shots. Scott Clemmensen finished the game in net and was charged with two goals on 18 shots.

Florida's playoff hopes are fading as the team has 66 points and is eight back of Boston for the eighth playoff spot, with three teams in front of the Panthers.

"This is a disappointing effort. We left our goalies out to dry," Panthers head coach Peter DeBoer said. "We were too soft. You can't expect to get a playoff spot in this league when you don't play harder than the team you're playing against."

Washington got on the board just 5:46 in on Semin's tip-in of a Laich shot and made it a two-goal game with 4:28 to play in the first on Jason Chimera's redirect off a Morrison shot.

Florida got on the board with 1:41 left in the first period as Reinprecht blasted a slap shot from the left circle past the glove of Theodore.

The Capitals got the goal back just 49 seconds into the second frame as Morrison picked up his own broken pass and backhanded it in from in front.

Washington took a 4-1 lead with 9 1/2 minutes to play in the second as Morrison picked up a Florida turnover in the Panthers end and passed it over to Eric Fehr, who slid a low wrister home from the slot.

At the 14:06 mark of the middle stanza the Caps made it a 5-1 game on Laich's 23rd goal of the year, this one on the power play, when he banged in his own rebound.

The Panthers got one back just 22 seconds later as Kreps' backhander from the left side off of a rebound went in, but Backstrom got the goal back 90 seconds later as he knocked in his own rebound.

Laich made it a 7-2 game with 7:35 to play in the game while Repik's third goal of the season with 1:33 remaining accounted for the final score.

Game Notes

Washington continues its four-game road trip in Carolina on Thursday...Florida hosts Phoenix on Thursday...Washington swept the season series with Florida, outscoring the Panthers, 33-15...Washington went 2-for-4 on the power play while Florida was 0-for-3.