For the first time in franchise history, the Washington Capitals will face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The first-round matchup was confirmed Friday, with the Capitals finishing the regular season in the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference following their 3-2 loss against the New York Rangers.
The Panthers are the No.1 seed in the East and finished with the NHL鈥檚 best overall record.
The first-round series begins Tuesday at FLA Live Arena in Florida.
The entire series schedule is listed below.
Tuesday, May 3, 7:30 p.m.:聽Capitals @ Panthers
Thursday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.:聽Capitals @ Panthers
Saturday, May 7, 1 p.m.:聽Panthers @ Capitals
Monday, May 9, 7 p.m.:聽Panthers @ Capitals
*Wednesday, May 11, TBD:聽Capitals @ Panthers
*Friday, May 13, TBD:聽Panthers @ Capitals
*Sunday, May 15, TBD:聽Capitals @ Panthers
(*If Necessary)聽
鈥淲e know what they鈥檙e capable of and the kind of season they鈥檝e had, and it鈥檚 going to be a great test for us,鈥� defenseman John Carlson told reporters following the regular-season finale in New York. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to be back in a position to play for the Stanley Cup. That鈥檚 step one and that鈥檚 where our focus is now- our excitement and focus goes on to that first game now.鈥�
The Capitals, who had the NHL鈥檚 best road record this season, will begin the postseason as a lower seed on the road for the first time since 2012 and for just the second time in 14 playoff appearances in the Alex Ovechkin era. Washington limped to the finish line of the regular season, losing three consecutive games in regulation and dropping four straight overall (0-3-1).
鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly going to new for us,鈥� said veteran forward Lars Eller. 鈥淚 think we鈥檝e always been better on the road anyways and I think history shows that in the playoffs, home or away, it doesn鈥檛 really matter.鈥�
Ovechkin missed the final three games of the regular season with an upper-body injury. But the team is hopeful he could return for Game 1 in Florida. Ovechkin has never missed a playoff game in his career.
En route to the winning the Presidents鈥� Trophy for the first time in team history, the Panthers scored a league-best 4.15 goals per game.
Led by a quartet of 30-goal scorers 鈥� Aleksander Barkov (39), Sam Reinhart (33), Anthony Duclair (31) and Jonathan Huberdeau (30G) 鈥� the Panthers are the NHL鈥檚 highest-scoring team since the 1995-96 Pittsburgh Penguins. The 1995-96 campaign was, coincidentally, the last time the Panthers won a playoff series; the longest active drought in the NHL.
Despite suffering a 10-2 blowout loss in their regular season finale Friday in Montreal, the Panthers went 14-3-0 down the stretch, highlighted by a franchise-best 13-game winning streak.
The Capitals went 1-1-1 against Florida this season, with all three games played in November. Florida won their most recent meeting on Nov. 30, rallying from a 4-1 third-period deficit to win 5-4 in regulation. The Panthers led the NHL with 11 comeback wins after trailing at the second intermission.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e an extremely fast team,鈥� Eller said. 鈥淎 lot of power up front, a lot of scoring capability. It鈥檚 going to be fun. They鈥檙e the best team in the league this year, so it鈥檚 a huge challenge for us, but I think our team can play a lot of [styles], whatever game is presented [to us], we can adjust and we can be successful.鈥�
