WASHINGTON -- In the latter stages of Friday night's game, Panthers coach Pete DeBoer said there was discussion to pull goalie Tomas Vokoun during Florida's five minute power play chance.

Only DeBoer never did replace his goalie with an extra skater during Florida's stunningly unimpressive power-play turn.

Not only did the Panthers not get off a single shot during that five minute span with an extra skater, but Washington cleared the puck so effectively that had DeBoer taken out Vokoun, the puck likely would have found the open net anyway.

DeBoer ended up taking Vokoun out with 2:45 remaining. The Panthers still failed to score and ended up losing 4-1 as the Capitals scored with 39 seconds left with Vokoun sitting on the bench.

``Had we got a faceoff in their end or something, we might have done it,'' DeBoer said after Friday's game. ``To do it on the fly without any preparation makes it tough. . . . It's tough to pull your goalie when you're on your end of the ice.''

The Panthers power play has been scoring goals at a better rate than earlier in the season, but the numbers are still pretty bad.

Florida came into Saturday's game at Washington with the fourth worst power play in the league -- making 8 of 58 chances this season (13.6 percent).

The Panthers penalty kill hasn't been much better, with opponents scoring on the Panthers 15.4 percent of the time. Only Toronto's numbers are worse.

``I would like to be in the top 10 in the league, but that's not why we're winning or losing,'' DeBoer said Saturday. ``We've scored two or three power play goals right after it expired. . . . I think from the five, six game mark on, it's been pretty consistent. We're getting a goal a night or close to it and we're creating offense.'' HURTING CAPS

The Capitals were without a number of key players on Saturday. Alex Ovechkin missed his third game in a row with a left shoulder injury. Defensemen Mike Green and Jeff Schultz, who were both injured Friday in Sunrise, also didn't play.

Florida was without center Kamil Kreps (foot) for a second straight day.

• Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, 19, scored his first NHL goal in the second period.

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