Tom Wilson gets ejected while Dubois and Protas lift Caps over Panthers

The Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers last night 4-3 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC last night. The win snapped their losing streak at two games. The Capitals then pulled away from the Panthers in the 3rd period despite Tom Wilson being ejected in the 1st period after he delivered an illegal hit. Here are four takeaways from last night.

1. St. Ivany has so far been a steal

How about a round of applause for the Capitals scouting and player development department! Defenseman Jack St. Ivany was claimed off waiver from the Jets off the other week. He has developed instant chemistry with rookie phenom Cole Hutson and has three points in four games and scored his first goal as a Cap last night. St. Ivany started off the scoring in the first after he capitalized on a bad clear by Florida netminder Akira Schmid. St. Ivany makes $850,000 and if he can maintain this level of play, the Capitals will be more flexible if they are looking to add a big time player via trade, like Dylan Larkin or Nikita Kucherov.

2. Aliaksei Protas had a big night

Aliaksei Protas has had a slow start to the season. He has only 7 points in 15 games to start the season, after he scored 66 points in 76 games two seasons ago and 52 in 76 last season. The elder Protas brother scored his first goal ten days ago against Philly. Last night, Big Pro scored the Caps' third goal of the game and assisted on Pierre-Luc Dubois' game winner in the third period. He was on the ice when Jack St. Ivany scored an unassisted goal in the first. Protas is one of the most versatile players on the team and one of their best penalty killers. The Caps will No. 21 to start pitching in more on offense if they want to make any kind of run in the playoffs.

3. Dubois makes the Capitals better

The Capitals are simply a better team when Pierre-Luc Dubois is in the lineup. The Caps have a record of 67-44 when Dubois takes the ice. They hovered around .500 without him last season and just missed the playoffs. Dubois missed five games with an illness in October and the Caps went 2-3 without him. Dubois is one of the best defensive centers in the league who can also score. He showed it last night when he assisted on Aliaksei Protas' goal in the second, before Dubois put the game away in the third period with his second goal of the year. Head coach Spencer Carbery was forced to chnage up the lines after Wilson's ejection, and may have stumbled upon something with a line of Dubois, Protas, and Ryan Leonard. Look for them to get more ice time together.

4. Wilson's ejection was warranted

It was a close play, but Tom Wilson should have been ejected for his hit on Sandis Vilmanis last night. After the officials reviewed it, they gave Wilson a 5-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Vilmanis left the game and didn't return. Wilson checked Vilmanis form behind, slamming his face into the boards. I don't think he was trying to hurt Vilmanis, but Wilson has to be better. Its a fast game and Vilmanis turned just after Wilson stepped toward him to deliver a check, but you can't slam a guy's face into the glass from behind. The league will probably suspend him for a couple of games since it's not his first offense. The Caps need Wilson on the ice, not out due to suspension.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow