Off Topic » row with a 3-2 a shootout victory over the Florida Panthers o

WASHINGTON -- For a weekend at least, the Washington Capitals adjusted nicely to life without Alex Ovechkin. With their star forward out for a second straight night with an unspecified upper-body injury, Washington won its second game in a row with a 3-2 a shootout victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. After Tomas Fleischmann forced overtime with a game-tying, 4-on-3 goal with 2:38 left in the third period, the Capitals recovered with shootout tallies by Mikhail Grabovski, Brooks Laich, and the clincher by Nicklas Backstrom. After Laichs shootout score on Florida goalie Scott Clemmensen, which appeared to come as he lost the puck, Washington goalie Michal Neuvirth made the biggest of his 31 saves, catching Jonathan Huberdeaus attempt with his glove. Backstrom then ended it with a clean shot to the left side. "Tonight was an ugly one," Backstrom said. "Neuvy played great and kept us in the game." Neuvirth finished with 31 saves. Clemmensen had 21. One of the players most relieved by Backstroms deciding shot was defenceman Steve Oleksy (seven blocked shots), who committed the slashing penalty that paved the way for Fleischmanns goal. The score ended Washingtons string of successful penalty kills at 35, with five coming Saturday night "You cant have that. Steven knows that. You cant lose your cool," Washington coach Adam Oates said. "Fortunately, the shootout bailed him out." Florida lost its fifth straight, but showed improvement from its listless 4-0 loss Friday night at home to St. Louis. "I think we stepped in a good direction tonight," Fleischmann said. "We played like a team, pretty good all 60 minutes and I think thats how we get our two points next game." Ovechkin had scored 10 goals in 12 games before he was hurt in the first period Monday at Vancouver. The Capitals have outscored opponents 10-2 without him, but Saturdays win wasnt nearly as easy as Fridays 7-0 domination of the Philadelphia Flyers. "Youre still patching the dike in a sense. You dont want to lose anybody, let alone your star," Oates said. "It proves your team is still a solid hockey team." Washington broke on top late in the first period with a fast-break goal that Backstrom started and finished. After winning a faceoff at the red line, he received a lead pass from Eric Fehr and fired a 15-foot shot through Clemmensens legs. With the score, Backstrom replaced Ovechkin as the team leader in points with 16. Winchester tied it at 8:20 of the second period on a breakaway goal, but Carlson answered 36 seconds later for Washington. Fourth-line centre Michael Latta got his first NHL assist in helping Carlson score the first goal for a Washington defenceman in 30 days. "We need offence from our (defence). Every team does," Oates said. "You could tell by his celebration how much it meant to him." NOTES: The Capitals have a 13-8-2 record in games missed by Ovechkin. ... A night after brawling with the Philadelphia Flyers at the end of their 7-0 win, the Caps were involved in more conventional tussle as Marcel Goc of the Panthers went after Latta after the Washington rookie elbowed Fleischmann, Floridas top scorer. ... Washingtons Marcus Johansson took what appeared an inadvertent stick to his chin in the third period. Tommy McDonald Eagles Jersey . The 17-year-old had four goals and four assists in 38 games for Liberec in the Czech pro league this past season. Zacha had three goals and two assists in seven games at the world mens under-18 championship in April when the Czech Republic took the silver medal. Miles Sanders Jersey .twitter.com/xBTpoAKLJk — Daryl Zerr (@darylzerr) May 29, 2014 @BarDown I give to you the @SquirrelsNCHL aka the Fighting Squirels. http://www.theeaglesshoponline.com/Youth-Reggie-White-Eagles-Jersey/ . Signs of a turnaround have emerged in this series at Minnesota. Brian Roberts had three doubles and a triple for the first four-extra-base-hit game of his 14-year career, and the Yankees used their bullpen to preserve a 6-5 win over the Twins on Friday. Reggie White Womens Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. Jerome Brown Youth Jersey . - Considering where Jeff Gordon was after Richmond, left out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in part due to some late-race shenanigans, he couldnt have been happier on Sunday.TORONTO - Goaltender Zachary Fucale will get the nod in goal on Friday when Canada opens up the world junior championships against Slovakia in Montreal.Coach Benoit Groulx announced on Thursday that the 19-year-old will start over Eric Comrie in Canadas first game of preliminary play, but wouldnt go as far to say that Fucale is the clear-cut No. 1.At last years world championship in Malmo, Sweden, Jake Paterson was put in net inn Canadas first two round-robin games by coach Brent Sutter.dddddddddddd A 5-4 shootout loss to the Czech Republic cost Paterson his job. Fucale played the rest of the way and went 3-2-0 with a 2.42 goals-against average and .902 save percentage.Fucale, from Rosemere, Que., has a 13-9-2 with a 3.20 GAA and .890 save percentage for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey Leagues Halifax Mooseheads in 24 games this season. ' ' '