Panthers bounce back in a big way to take Game 2, tie series at 1-1

The Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals went toe-to-toe in Game 2 of their first round series on Thursday night. Washington took Game 1 by a score of 4-2, and the Panthers looked to tie up the series at home before heading to D.C. for Games 3 and 4.

Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad opened the scoring with less than four minutes remaining in the first period after his shot took a deflection past Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek. It was the first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal for the 26-year-old.

The @FlaPanthers take a 1-0 lead after Ekblad's shot takes a series of bounces 👀 pic.twitter.com/wn0PPC8CyE— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) May 6, 2022

Less than two minutes later, the Panthers struck again. Forward Jonathan Huberdeau made an incredible play and then passed the puck through the crease to captain Aleksander Barkov who put it past Vitek Vanecek to make it 2-0 Florida.

Unreal play by @JonnyHuby11 to set up the @FlaPanthers second goal! pic.twitter.com/V5cfVB3wpq— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) May 6, 2022

Early in the second period, while on the power play, Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom scored from a tight angle to bring his team within one.

It's all about the angles. 📐 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT ➡️ https://t.co/utjoZmkZ6O
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/IKdxXBZiep pic.twitter.com/fWDKIATZTz— NHL (@NHL) May 6, 2022

Roughly 30 seconds later, Panthers forward Mason Marchment restored his team's two-goal lead following a beautiful passing play.

The @FlaPanthers wasted no time answering. 👀#StanleyCup | #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/MjHb61Mx1V— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 6, 2022

With less than five minutes remaining in the second period, Carter Verhaeghe picks up a loose puck and throws it towards the net. The puck finds rookie forward Anton Lundell, who passes it to Sam Reinhart, then back to Lundell for another beautiful passing play to make it 4-1 Florida. That was Lundell's first career goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The passing, the goal, the celly! This @flapanthers goal is 🤩. #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT ➡️ https://t.co/utjoZmkZ6O
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/IKdxXBZiep

NHL x @massmutual pic.twitter.com/6KUwqLXLY1— NHL (@NHL) May 6, 2022

With 2:30 remaining in the second period, Carter Verhaeghe skates into the Capitals zone and rips the puck through a screen and past Vitek Vanecek to give the Panthers a 5-1 lead.

The @FlaPanthers are on 🔥#StanleyCup | #TimeToHunt pic.twitter.com/cotkFAHVnM— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 6, 2022

To start the third period, Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov came in for Vitek Vanecek, who didn't have a great showing in the first two periods.

The third period went scoreless and the Panthers held on to take Game 2 by a score of 5-1 and have tied the series at one game a piece heading to Washington.

Puck drop for Game 3 on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet in Canada.

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