Capitals and Panthers Combine for Longest Shootout in NHL History

Author:
Dante A. Ciampaglia
Publish date:
Dec 17, 2014

There's a good chance you didn't watch last night's game between the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers. It's not exactly a marquee matchup. But history tends to be made in such unassuming circumstances. And the teams combined to make some Tuesday.

After completing three periods and the overtime frame tied 1-1, the squads went into the shootout. And that's where they stayed for more than 17 history-making minutes. Washington and Florida went 20 — count 'em, 20! — rounds in the longest NHL shootout ever before Panther Nick Bjugstad slipped the game-winner past Caps goalie Braden Holtby. In all, Florida scored six times and Washington five in the Panthers' 2-1 win.

“I blacked out what just happened???” Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo tweeted after the game.

An epic shootout might be new to Luongo, but it's old hat for some members of the Caps. The previous longest shootout in NHL history —a 15-round tilt — occurred in 2005 between Washington and the New York Rangers. (New York won, 3-2.)

If you missed it live and just need to experience all 20 rounds of last night's shootout, you can watch it below.