Ekblad returns for Game 1 vs. Capitals

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad returned to the lineup for Game 1 against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.

He played just over 24 minutes of Florida's 4-2 upset loss and threw two hits.

Ekblad hadn't played since suffering a leg injury on March 18. He was hurt in an awkward collision and had to be helped off the ice. Although it appeared to be a devastating injury, Ekblad didn't sustain any structural damage.

Head coach Andrew Brunette said that Ekblad would immediately reclaim his spot on the team's top power play, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.

These were the Panthers' pairings at morning skate:

The 26-year-old was among the league's best defensemen at the time of the injury. He tallied a career-high 57 points despite only playing 61 games while averaging 24:55 minutes of ice time per game.