Braden Holtby's break is over.
The Washington Capitals goaltender started Friday's game against the New York Islanders after sitting out for four contests, stopping 22 of 25 shots in a 6-3 win.
Capitals head coach Barry Trotz implied he was giving Holtby "a little reset" last week.
The 2016 Vezina Trophy winner had a save percentage of .854 and only one win in eight games before taking the hiatus.
Washington went 3-1-0 in his absence, including a 7-3 victory over the Islanders on Thursday night.
"It was obviously good to clear (my) mind and step back, and it makes it a lot better that we had success while (I was sitting out)," Holtby told reporters before Friday's game. "(The break) is something I haven't had in quite a few years, so there's a positive in it for sure, mentally and physically, to just regroup a bit."
Philipp Grubauer posted a .940 save percentage in the four games Holtby sat out, and the backup netminder has been solid all season long, holding a .925 save percentage in 29 appearances.