It's obvious that there would be no love lost between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. Based on the physicality of the first period, that might be an understatement.
The Caps and Pens traded blows, but it was Brooks Laich who landed the first punch to give the Capitals 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Near the end of a period that saw only 13 combined shots, but 25 combined hits, Mathieu Perreault sent the puck around the boards to John Erskine at the left point. Erskine fired a slap shot that caught Marc-Andre Fleury. The rebound dropped right in front of the crease, where Laich was waiting to pounce for his 11th goal of the season at 18:22.
No penalties were called, but blood was drawn as time expired as Mike Green took the brunt of a slap shot from Brooks Orpik in the face. Green bled on the ice, but was able to skate to the locker room under his own power.