Paul Maurice sees many similarities between the defending Cup champion Panthers and the Capitals: ‘Systematically, they are not far from us at all’

The Washington Capitals face the Florida Panthers on Monday night for the first time since the latter were crowned Stanley Cup champions last June. The Panthers won all three games against Washington last season, but they will face a very different Caps team this year.

After several key offseason acquisitions, this year’s Capitals are the first to fully implement head coach Spencer Carbery’s preferred system of play. The fast-paced system has led the team to a 13-6-1 start, and according to Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, it’s not far off from what Florida used to secure the franchise’s first Cup.

“Washington is playing a different game now, a different team game,” Maurice said foreplay, according to George Richards. “I think in the past you felt that if you could get to Ovi, or you could shut him out, or you could eliminate him, then you had a really, really good chance to win that game. I don’t think it’s right with the way they play. They play a really good team game.

“Systematically, they are not far from us at all. They do one or two different things on some rush defense than we do, but they play the game that we play now. They go hard to the net. They collapse at their own net. They don’t cheat the game. They want to play, but it’s long gone – they’re not a team with seven passes on their way up the ice. They used to be. They play a lot like us.”

To Maurice’s credit, the Capitals and Panthers show these similarities with nearly matching statistical starts at five-on-five. While Florida edges Washington in their shot attempt percentage, the Capitals are the better team in terms of chance differential in high danger.

Five-to-five percent

While available before the game, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery was asked what he thought of Maurice’s comparison. Hearing the question, Carbery began to smile wryly at the suggestion.

“I will (agree) with that,” Carbery said. “We have very similar systems that we play. I think even before they won it last year, there are a lot of things you can appreciate about the way Florida plays and how Paul has everyone on the same side in a consistent line to line I think that’s what we’re trying to replicate – making sure we have an identity to the way we play and that’s consistent throughout our lineup, three pairs of D and four lines.

“I feel like they’re obviously at the top of the pack when it comes to the way they play and are really, really consistent with it, but we’re trying to copy a lot of things that they do well. I think just by chance—it wasn’t like we took a model and said, “Hey, we want to look like the Florida Panthers.” But we prioritize some of the most important fundamentals that they do and are very, very important to our team and our identity as well.”

The two teams come into Monday night’s matchup looking for the first real loser of the season. After winning seven straight earlier this season, Florida has lost three in a row and five of their last six. Washington just lost two games in a row for the first time this year.

Washington will be without Alex Ovechkin for a third straight game, but if Maurice’s assumptions are correct, the Capitals are still a threat to take two points at Amerant Bank Arena. A win would represent Washington’s first against Florida in the regular season since Nov. 26, 2021. They haven’t beaten Florida on the road in the regular season since Nov. 7, 2019.