Capitals Down Ducks 5-2; Richard Panik Scores First Goal As A Capital; Garnett Hathaway Ejected From Game

Photo: Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images

The Washington Capitals downed the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 Monday night at Capital One Arena. The win improves the Capitals record 16-3-4 (36 points) on the season, and maintains a seven-point lead over the New York Islanders for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals are back in action on Wednesday night when they visit the Rangers in New York. Puck drop is set for just after 7:30 PM.

GAME STATS

GAME SUMMARY
The Capitals took all of 50 seconds to start the scoring when Travis Boyd found Richard Panik for his first goal of the season, for a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. The Capitals would add goals from Alexs Ovechkin and Chandler Stephenson in the middle frame for a 3-0 lead at the second break. Jakub Vrana would make it 4-0 early in the final frame. The Ducks would add a late power play goal to make it 4-1 and add another late goal at 18:11, but the Capitals would answer with an empty net goal from Tom Wilson for the 5-2 final.

STARTERS
Braden Holtby (10-1-0-3, 2.97 GAA, .904 sv%) started between the pipes for Washington. John Gibson (7-9-0-0, 2.83 GAA, .915 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Ducks. The Capitals starting forward lines and defensive pairs:

#Caps‘ lines vs Ducks:
8-Ovechkin, 92-Kuznetsov, 43-Wilson
13-Vrana, 19-Backstrom, 77-Oshie
14-Panik, 20-Eller, 72-Boyd
28-Leipsic, 18-Stephenson, 21-Hathaway

6-Kempny, 74-Carlson
9-Orlov, 33-Gudas
34-Siegenthaler, 3-Jensen

Holtby vs. Gibson. #CapsDuck

— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) November 18, 2019

Scratches: Nic Dowd (hand laceration, day-to-day), Carl Hagelin (day-to-day)

FIRST PERIOD
The Capitals opened the scoring quickly with a goal from Richard Panik, his first of the season at :50 of the opening frame. Travis Boyd (5) and Lars Eller (7) were credited with the assists.

Don’t Panik! Richard got his 1st 😎 pic.twitter.com/pnXOZOInOg

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 19, 2019

That marks the third time this season the Capitals have scored a goal within the opening minute. Washington is 10-1-2 this year when they score the game’s first goal.

The first period would conclude with the Capitals maintaining the scant 1-0 lead. The Capitals led in shot attempts 22-15 and shots on goal 12-7 for the first 20 minutes. Anaheim was 0 for 1 on the power play. The Capitals did not have a man advantage opportunity in the first frame.

With 12 shots in the first period, the Capitals have recorded double digit shot totals in each of their last five periods (third period at Philadelphia through tonight), setting their longest streak of the season.

SECOND PERIOD
The Capitals would stretch their lead to 2-0 with a power play goal from Alex Ovechkin (15) at 6:39 of the middle stanza. Evgeny Kuznetsov (12) and John Carlson (25) had the helpers.

Ovi PPG….duh pic.twitter.com/eCngI1qAj2

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 19, 2019

The Capitals would increase their lead to 3-0 just before the buzzer with a goal from Chandler Stephenson (3) at 19:26 of the second period. Garnet Hathaway (5) had the lone assist.

Stevie made it 3-0 before all h-e double hockey sticks broke out 💪 pic.twitter.com/6fbmcUi5Vg

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 19, 2019

Following the play Capitals Garnet Hathaway would initiate a line brawl behind the Ducks net. As a result of the melee, Hathaway would get a game misconduct, tossing him from the contest. He may have been ejected for spitting on an opposing player.

By the way, here’s the reason for the match penalty for Garnet Hathaway. pic.twitter.com/e3W97zFSKV

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) November 19, 2019

He is suspended until he has a meeting with the commissioner, likely to ocurr sometime on Tuesday. Much more on the melee at the end of the second period is here.

there’s a lot going on here and somewhere within it Stephenson scored pic.twitter.com/pSGjlMtEpI

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) November 19, 2019

The second period would conclude with the Capitals firmly in control, 3-0. The Ducks led in shot attempts 25-18, with shot attempts tied 40-40 after two periods of play. Shots on goal were tied 12-12 for the middle frame.

THIRD PERIOD
The Ducks opened the final frame with three minutes of power play time as a result of the fracas at the end of the second period, but they were unable to capitalize on the extended extra time.

Jakub Vrana (10) would stretch the Capitals lead to 4-0 early at 5:44 of the final period. The goal would be unassisted.

Quack quack it’s V! pic.twitter.com/gFuDpkdmRg

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 19, 2019

The Ducks would finally find the score sheet with a power play goal at 13:31 of the final frame. Sam Steel would get the credit for the tally.

Let’s take a look at goal No. 1 of the season for Sam Steel. pic.twitter.com/3TUXnJgM3F

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) November 19, 2019

The Ducks would close the gap to 4-2 with a goal from Nicolas Deslauriers at 18:11, But the Capitals would follow with an empty net goal for the 5-2 win.

SHAVINGS

The NHL box score is here.
Travis Boyd recorded the primary assist on Panik’s goal. Entering tonight’s game, Boyd led the NHL with 5.13 points per 60 minutes of play and a 4.1 assists per 60 minutes of play among players with 58 minutes of five-on-five time this season.
Alex Ovechkin gave the Caps a 2-0 lead with his second power play goal in his last three games. He’s now two power play goals shy of passing Teemu Selanne (255) for the third-most power play goals in NHL history.
All 10 of Vrana’s goals this season have come at even strength, tied with Auston Matthews for the third-most in the NHL and one behind Brad Marchand for second.
Braden Holtby played his 25,000th career minute in this game, becoming the second goaltender in franchise history to reach the mark (Olie Kolzig: 41,260 minutes).
For the 23rd-consecutive game, the Capitals did not allow more than one power play goal. The Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins are the only teams in the NHL that haven’t had a game with two power play goals against.