Capitals wary of Canes to open Stanley Cup defense

[admin]

The Washington Capitals will begin their quest for a second straight Stanley Cup on Thursday night when they take on the visiting Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round matchup. Washington won the franchise's first championship last spring, beating Columbus, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and then Vegas for the Stanley Cup. This year's playoff run begins with a Carolina team that the Caps swept during the regular season.