The Washington Capitals faced a tough start to their playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, suffering a 2-1 overtime loss in Game 1. The Capitals took the lead thanks to Aliaksei Protas' goal early in the second period, but the Hurricanes equalized with Logan Stankoven's strike in the third. Jaccob Slavin's game-winner in overtime sealed the fate for Washington, with the Canes dominating the shot count 33-14. Capitals' goaltender Logan Thompson made 31 saves, while Frederik Andersen made a successful return to stop 13 of 14 shots.

Tom Wilson added some drama during a stoppage by playfully snatching Sebastian Aho's mouth guard before returning it under the watchful eye of officials. In the aftermath, Wilson remained optimistic, emphasizing the team's experience and resilience despite the setback. Coach Spencer Carbery was less than pleased, labeling the performance as underwhelming and signaling the need for changes ahead of Game 2.