This wasn't the return Erik Karlsson wanted.
After missing the first five games of the 2017-18 campaign while recovering from offseason foot surgery, Karlsson made his way back onto the ice for the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. What should've been a triumphant moment for the Senators was spoiled by the visiting Vancouver Canucks, who eased to a 3-0 victory on the strength of a goal in each period of play.
The Senators outshot Vancouver 32-24, but the Canucks were more clinical in front of goal. A no-nonsense Brock Boeser power play goal from in close opened the scoring in the first period, followed by an Alexander Burmistrov tip-in in the second.
It wasn't until there was less than five minutes remaining before the game got its first dose of the spectacular, when Thomas Vanek raced down the ice on a breakaway and rung a blistering slapshot off both posts and into Craig Anderson's net.
As for Karlsson, there was some question as to the amount of ice time he would see on his return from injury. Any worries about his fitness were put to rest when he led all Senators' skaters with 22:25 of playing time in Tuesday's contest.