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Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette told the media on Friday that captain Alex Ovechkin will be a game-time decision on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils (1 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington locally, NHL Network nationally) after taking a maintenance day due to what appears to be a lower-body injury.
Alex Ovechkin will be a game-time decision for the Capitals tomorrow vs. Devils, team says.
Ovechkin had a maintenance day today and did not practice. Hagelin also had a maintenance day.
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) February 26, 2021
Ovechkin suffered the injury in the third period of Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins when he blocked a shot from Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. He played after getting hurt but not in overtime during Tuesday’s game.
The 35-year-old had a long talk with the trainers before playing in Thursday’s 5-2 win over the Penguins, where he had an assist, a -1 rating, four shots, and two hits in 16:04 worth of ice time.
Ovechkin, who missed four games earlier this season on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, has posted six goals, 16 points, and a -6 rating in 15 games this season.
Forward Carl Hagelin also took a maintenance day on Friday. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who is currently on the taxi squad after getting recalled from the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Thursday, did not practice.
Since Ovechkin and center Evgeny Kuznetsov have returned from the COVID-19 list, forward Daniel Sprong has been a healthy scratch.
The Capitals also face the Devils at Prudential Center on Sunday afternoon.
By Harrison Brown
