Game 1 didn't exactly go according to plan for the Washington Capitals, but in the end they rallied past the Maple Leafs to get the win. Entering the game as the heavy favourites, the Capitals found themselves down 2-0 early on, with the Leafs' first goal coming from rookie Mitch Marner.
The battle between the first and the eighth seeds has been billed as 'youth versus experience' from the beginning, and that's exactly what fans got to see on Thursday night. Although the young Leafs squad was unable to pull off an upset in Game 1, Capitals head coach Barry Trotz certainly took notice of Toronto's youth core.
Speaking on the Leafs' strong performance in Game 1, head coach Mike Babcock outlined two important takeaways for the team's young players.
Game two of the series goes on Saturday in Washington.
