Alex Ovechkin's return to the ice from injury began well, as the Capitals' star had two shots on goal and some very active shifts early, but nothing resulted in any goals. The Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes are scoreless after one period, with the Capitals holding a 16-11 advantage in shots.
Both teams have had power play chances, but neither resulted in much. The best chance of the period came from Carolina, when a shot squirted by goalie Semyon Varlamov, off the post, and saved away. John Carlson has four shots on goal for the Capitals, while Ovechkin and Brooks Laich have three each.
The game has been fast-paced, with few whistles stopping play. There have been lots of nice passes and forward progress, but so far, the goalies have been up to the challenge. Carolina is playing hard and playing well, which they must do because they need to win to have any chance of making the NHL playoffs.