With the return of dynamic forward Alexander Semin from injured reserve on Monday night, the Capitals iced their ideal lineup for just the third time all season.
But mired in a losing skid with a momentum all its own, not even the addition of a 38-goal scorer could halt their free fall. Semin, who has missed 15 games with a severe ankle sprain, scored his first goal of the season. But it wasn’t enough to prevent the latest disappointment, a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers at Verizon Center.
That leaves the Caps (6-13-1) with just 13 points after 20 games, fewest in the NHL. It was their fourth loss in a row and eighth in nine games. They are now 3-13-1 since opening the season with three consecutive wins.
Frustrations among the announced crowd of 13,411 boiled over late in the second period. The Panthers took a 3-1 lead when Florida forward Olli Jokinen bounced a shot off Caps defenseman Brian Pothier and past goaltender Olie Kolzig. Audible chants of “Fire Hanlon,” directed at Caps coach Glen Hanlon, rained down from the upper reaches of Verizon Center.
They grew louder when Jokinen notched his 11th goal of the year at 6:54 of the third period.
The Caps did show signs of life down the stretch, however. Semin deflected home a shot by Tomas Fleischmann at 8:14 of the third. He later drew a penalty on a breakaway attempt that led to a power play goal from captain Chris Clark. But the Caps couldn’t finish several chances with Kolzig pulled in the final 90 seconds and lost by one goal for the sixth time in 14 games.
So long Sutherby
The Capitals traded forward Brian Sutherby to the Anaheim Ducks for a second-round pick in the 2009 Entry Draft on Monday. Sutherby played 257 career games for the Caps with 26 goals and 35 assists. But he had appeared in just five games so far this season with one goal in a reserve role. Sutherby, 25, was the organization’s first-round choice in the 2000 draft, 26th overall. The move created a roster opening for forward Alexander Semin to return from injured reserve (ankle).
