The Washington Capitals open the NHL season on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The game starts at 8 p.m. ET. Listen to the live radio broadcast HERE.
Chicago begins its title defense on Tuesday against Washington. For the Blackhawks, opening with a win could set the tone for the entire season.
"It's something we were talking about today is that I felt the start of our season last year put us in the perfect spot for the whole season," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said on Monday, via ESPN. "It was that first period or the first win, but that seemed to just start it off on the right foot.
"I think it's something we're trying to prioritize going into this season is there's a lot of things you can achieve, hey, let's worry about getting off to a great start."
The Blackhawks have even more incentive on Tuesday to win - the team will celebrate its Stanley Cup win before the game.
"It's going to be awesome, at home. It's going to be a great feeling," said Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa, who's expected to play. "But right after, we have to get focused on the game."
Chicago will have a tough challenge to contain Alex Ovechkin, who won his third NHL MVP award last season. After a first-round playoff exit against the New York Rangers, the Capitals want redemption.
"Hopefully we start better than we did last year and if we do, that gives us a little bit of luxury to rest guys at times, to piece the puzzle together a little differently," Capitals coach Adam Oates said. "But you've got to wait and see if that happens. You need the luxury to experiment. You've got to be ahead of the curve."
