Panthers ride Reinhart and Verhaeghe into a Washington matinee

Florida walks into Washington as the underdog, and I like the cats anyway. The Panthers are 4-1 in their last five with a plus-8 goal differential by our count. The Capitals lost their last two at home in regulation and gave up 11 goals doing it.

The line that's driving Florida right now has no Barkov and no Marchand on it, and that's the story of this team in November.

Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe both carry five-game point streaks into the 12:30 puck drop, by our count. Reinhart has 16 points in 16 games, Verhaeghe 15. Sandis Vilmanis is on their right side, and he just put up four points against Chicago. Maurice called them "our first line tonight" after that one. Nobody is arguing.

The lineup card:

Expected, not confirmed. Maurice said no changes were planned after the Chicago win, with "a couple of game-timers."

• Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
• Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart – Sandis Vilmanis
• Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Lars Eller
• Bokondji Imama – Cole Schwindt – Garnet Hathaway
• Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
• Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
• Dmitry Kulikov – Uvis Balinskis

Jacob Markstrom is the expected starter, with Akira Schmid as the backup. Radko Gudas and Cole Reinhardt are the expected scratches.

Mikkola is the one to watch at warmups. He took a shot off his right leg in the third Wednesday and is expected to play. He logged 14 minutes in that game, 7.5 fewer than the game before, per NHL data.

Who's out

Aleksander Barkov (knee) and Brad Marchand (knee) are on the trip but aren't expected to play. Maurice said last week both were about three weeks away. Marchand put it at "probably within five weeks, six weeks." Jonah Gadjovich (neck) is also out.

Washington is without defensemen Rasmus Sandin (knee) and Vincent Desharnais (appendectomy).

The other bench

The Capitals are 8-6-0 and their attack is real. Dylan Strome leads them with 14 points, Jordan Kyrou has 14 too, and Alex Tuch has 10 goals. Tuch has gone two straight without a point, by our count. Defenseman Cole Hutson has points in three straight.

The goaltending is the soft spot. Logan Thompson was pulled Tuesday against Dallas. His save percentage is .887 on the season and .867 over his last five starts, per NHL data. Washington's penalty kill sits at 76.1%.

Spencer Carbery has Alex Ovechkin with Justin Sourdif and Anthony Beauvillier now. "Since we reunited them, it's been a good combination for us," Carbery said.

Head-to-head

Florida won 6-3 in Sunrise last November and 5-2 in Washington in January. Sam Bennett had a goal and two assists in that January game.

The one matchup:

Florida's power play against that kill. The cats are converting at 23.9%, and Seth Jones and Matthew Tkachuk run it. Tkachuk has 18 assists already.

If Florida draws three penalties, I think this game breaks open in the first 40 minutes. If the Caps stay out of the box, it's a track meet, and Markstrom has to win it. His last five starts are at .864, per NHL data, so that's a real question.

The books lean Washington: Florida is +102 on the moneyline at DraftKings and the total is 6.5. The cats are 2-7 against the puck line on the road by our count. 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Pabs' read:

This team has won ugly, won pretty and won without its captain. A Saturday matinee in D.C. against a goalie fighting the puck is a game a good team takes. Reinhart scores again, the power play gets one, and Florida wins 4-3. Dale.

How to watch

12:30 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. TV: Scripps in Florida, Monumental in Washington, Sportsnet in Canada. It's the first of three on the road: Boston on Sunday at 1, then Columbus on Tuesday. Follow along on the game page.