The Carolina Hurricanes had their chances to score throughout the game, but Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren had most of the answers in a 3-1 Capitals victory.
It was not an ideal start for the Canes. Less than three minutes into the game, a bench minor for having too many men on the ice allowed the Washington offense to get going early. Despite killing the penalty, Carolina skated uphill to start the game.
The Hurricanes had some issues clearing the zone during the first period, and those struggles led to the game's first score. Aliaksei Protas scored on a deflection with less than a minute left in the period, giving Washington a 1-0 lead.