Panthers vs. Capitals Recap: Matthew Tkachuk Sets Up Three in Loss

The Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers 4-3 in regulation. Jack St. Ivany put Washington ahead at 2:21 of the 1st. Brady Tkachuk answered 52 seconds later and then scored on the power play at 10:00, so Florida led 2-1 after one. Washington scored the next three: Alex Tuch at 4:39 of the 2nd, Aliaksei Protas at 14:55 of the 2nd and Pierre-Luc Dubois at 4:42 of the 3rd. Sam Bennett got Florida within one at 19:13 of the 3rd, but Washington held on. Shots were 31-30 for Washington. Logan Thompson made 27 saves on 30 shots, and Akira Schmid stopped 27 of 31. Four DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

Ryan Leonard 2+ shots on goal (-190 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Leonard had 2+ shots on goal in each of his last 10 games and all 14 this season. - What happened: He put 3 SOG on net in 14:32 (1:43 on the power play), clearing the line by 1.5. He also assisted on Protas's go-ahead goal at 14:55 of the 2nd. - Worth watching: Leonard keeps shooting even on under 15 minutes of ice time. A steady shot rate in limited minutes is what makes a low SOG line worth checking.

Matthew Tkachuk 1+ points (-200 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Tkachuk had a point in 8 of his last 10 and 13 of 16 this season, including 4 of his last 5. With Barkov and Marchand both on IR, more of Florida's offense runs through him. - What happened: He had 0 G, 3 A, 3 SOG in 23:55. He set up both of Brady Tkachuk's goals in the 1st, the second on the power play, and then Bennett's late goal at 19:13 of the 3rd. That cleared the line by 2.5. - Worth watching: He played 8:05 on the power play. With that much power-play time, his point props stay on our radar while Barkov and Marchand are out.

Alex Tuch 2+ shots on goal (-240 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Tuch had 2+ shots on goal in 8 of his last 10 and 12 of 14 this season, including 4 of his last 5. - What happened: He had 3 SOG in 24:01 and cleared the line by 1.5. One of those shots was his unassisted goal at 4:39 of the 2nd, which tied the game 2-2. - Worth watching: He played over 24 minutes, which gives him plenty of chances to shoot. At -240 the price is steep, so the minutes have to stay there.

Sam Reinhart 2+ shots on goal (-380 at FanDuel): CASHED - Our read: Reinhart had cleared 2+ shots on goal in 15 of 16 games this season, averaging 3.3. - What happened: He had 2 SOG in 24:45 (8:12 on the power play) and cleared the line by 0.5. He also had the second assist on Bennett's goal at 19:13 of the 3rd. - Worth watching: This one cleared by the smallest possible margin, under his season average. With 8:12 of power-play time the volume should be there, but -380 leaves little margin on the price.

How the game played out

Special teams kept Florida in it. Washington took 23 penalty minutes and gave Florida 5 power plays, and Brady Tkachuk scored on one of them. The Capitals won at even strength: all four of their goals came at even strength, and three straight across the 2nd and early 3rd flipped a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.

Trends to watch

• Matthew Tkachuk (8:05) and Reinhart (8:12) both played more than eight minutes on the power play. That usage supports their point and shot props.
• Washington was 0 on 3 power plays but scored four times at even strength. Tuch played 24:01.
• Both goalies were busy: Schmid faced 31 shots and Thompson faced 30.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. More at NHL picks, NHL recaps and how to read American odds.