Ovechkin, Ekblad return to practice for Capitals, Panthers

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin and Aaron Ekblad both practiced on Sunday. Those are excellent developments for the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers. All signs point to Ovechkin being in the lineup for Game 1 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Panthers on Tuesday night after missing the final three games of the regular season with what the team is calling an upper-body injury. And Ekblad, who missed Florida’s final 21 games with a knee injury, seems like he could be back for Game 1 as well.