Ekblad Scores Winner, Panthers Complete Third-Period Comeback Against Capitals

SUNRISE, Fla. — The Florida Panthers returned to the win column on Monday night, defeating the Washington Capitals 5-3 at Amerant Bank Arena.

Aaron Ekblad scored the game-winner and Florida improved to 21-15-2 on the season with the win.

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had 22 saves for his 17th win of the season.

Tom Wilson opened the scoring 3:53 into the first period with his first of two goals on the night.

Anton Lundell tied the game less than a minute after Wilson’s opener, his seventh goal in the month of December (14 games) and 13th of the season 4:35 into the opening period.

Sam Reinhart gave the Panthers its first lead of the night and picked up his 20th goal of the season 12:45 into the first. Reinhart buried the shot top-shelf from the right face-off circle on the power-play to join Brad Marchand as the second Panther with at least 20 goals on the season.

Wilson tied the game and increased his team-lead on goals to 19 with 43 seconds to play in the period. After Dylan Strome fed the 6-foot-4 winger right in the slot, Wilson tucked away the power-play goal to tie the game at 2-2 ahead of the intermission.

Dylan Strome put the Capitals up 3-2 with his eighth goal of the year, beating Bobrovsky clean with a point-shot just 3:11 into the third.

Both Strome and Wilson ended the night with three points (goal and two assists for Strome; two goals and an assist for Wilson.

With Florida back on the power-play, Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson stopped Sam Bennett’s initial slap-shot from the right circle, however Brad Marchand was waiting in front of the crease to tap in his team-leading 22nd goal of the season, tying the game at 3-3.

Aaron Ekblad put the Panthers ahead again with 6:48 to play in regulation. The blue-liner rifled a slap-shot over Thompson for his second goal of the season, giving Florida a 4-3 lead. This was Ekblad’s first goal since Oct 11 against the Ottawa Senators — Florida’s third game of the season.

“Sure has been a long time,” Ekblad chuckled about his 33-game span between goals. “It feels really good to get that out there.”

Reinhart sealed the game after launching a backhander into the empty net from his own zone for his 21st goal of the season.

The Panthers will be back on home-ice Tuesday night to face the Montreal Canadiens for the second half of its back-to-back. Puck drop for that contest will be at 7 p.m. ET from Amerant Bank Arena. It will be Florida’s final game before the Winter Classic on Jan 2 against the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Panthers Notes

Seth Jones had two assists on the night, increasing off season total to 17. Jones leads all Panthers defensemen with 23 points on the season (6-17-23).

Sam Reinhart extended his point-streak to five games with his two goals and assist on Monday. He has 10 points over that span (4-6-10).