29 – First period goal differential for the San Jose Sharks, whom the Caps will host tonight at Verizon Center. San Jose has scored the most first-period goals (51) and allowed the fewest (22), giving them an opening stanza differential that’s equal to the second- and third- best teams in the League combined (Los Angeles at 15 and Chicago at 14).
The Caps, for their part, are minus-6 in the first period (21st in the League) and are coming off a 1-1 first twenty against Buffalo, the League’s worst first-period team (minus-27).
So yeah… if the Caps aren’t ready to go from the opening whistle, they could find themselves in a big hole early.