The Washington Capitals limped into the NHL playoffs, and without their captain and best player, Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin took a hard hit and went into the boards really hard a little over a week before Game 1 of their first-round series. Because of the injury, Ovechkin did not play the final three regular season games, and the Capitals finished in eighth in the stacked eastern conference.

That meant they were forced to play against the Florida Panthers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Panthers won the President's Trophy this year, by finishing with the best record in hockey.

The Capitals got great news earlier Tuesday that Ovechkin would be able to play in Game 1. Not only did he play, but he brought a level of physicality that changed the game. He also brought an intimidation factor.

In the third period with the Capitals trailing 2-1, Ovechkin poked the puck away and sent Evgeny Kuznetsov in for a breakaway goal.

Ovechkin is then seen gliding by Bobrovsky and stares down the veteran goalie.

The poke check was the key to the play, and the Capitals captain had a huge imprint on yet another playoff game. Capitals forward T.J. Oshie would then score a little over two minutes later, and the Caps wouldn't look back from there, ultimately winning 4-2.

Washington will look for a strangle hold of the series in Game 2 in Florida on Thursday. But they should expect an even stronger effort from the Panthers, who are a deep and extremely talented team.