RECAP: Washington Capitals 6, Florida Panthers 3

The Florida Panthers could not recover from a three-goal second period from the Washington Capitals, falling 6-3.

The Florida Panthers got outgunned in a 6-3 shootout with the Presidents’ Trophy frontrunner Washington Capitals on Saturday evening.

Florida suffered its fourth loss in its past six games and is in danger of falling into second place in the Atlantic Division with the Toronto Maple Leafs on the road in Nashville later Saturday night. Both teams are tied with 87 points apiece.

After both sides came out of a six-goal first-period even at three goals apiece, the Capitals came out of the gate guns blazing. Washington scored two goals in the first 59 seconds of the second period to take a lead it would not relinquish.

Tom Wilson beat Vitek Vanecek on a breakaway three seconds into the frame to give Washington the lead. Dylan Strome deflected an Alex Ovechkin shot past Vanecek 56 seconds later to extend the Washington lead to two goals.

Andrew Mangiapane tipped in an Ovechkin shot 5:57 into the second period to give the Capitals a three-goal lead.

The Panthers could not find the fight that they had in the first period.

When Connor McMichael opened the scoring 3:15 into the game, Sam Bennett tied it up 3:20 later.

When John Carlson gave Washington a 2-1 lead with 7:36 to go in the first, Seth Jones tied it with a laser of a slap shot for his first goal as a Panther 1:12 later.

When Anthony Beauvillier restored Washington’s lead with a quick goal off the rush a minute later, Jonah Gadjovich tied it up by tapping home a Nico Sturm feed 31 seconds after that.

But that was not the case in the second period.

The Panthers were unable to answer the fast-paced Capitals attack and Washington locked things down in the third period.

Logan Thompson finished the game with 33 saves on 36 shots in the Capitals win.

Vanecek stopped 25 of 31 shots against his former team in his third game as a Panther.

Florida will return home to play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night to kick off a three-game homestand.