Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette told media following the team’s morning skate on Saturday that the team is working through some things in the room, and would not confirm if Alex Ovechkin will or will not play tonight.
Laviolette says the team is working through some things in the room, would not confirm if Alex Ovechkin is in or out tonight. #ALLCAPS
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 24, 2021
Ovechkin was listed “day-to-day” on Friday with a lower body injury that he sustained in the third period of the Capitals first game with the Islanders on Thursday. He appeared to pull up (right leg) as he rushed the puck through the neutral zone with 2:49 remaining in regulation.
Ovechkin ultimately did not skate in the overtime period but remained on the bench. He did not participate in the Capitals’ optional practice on Friday.
Ovechkin has missed just 35 games in 16 seasons. 17 of those absences haves been injury related. The other 18 absences were due to suspension, personal reasons, COVID, etc.
The Capitals forward lines at morning skate:
Capitals forward lines at AM skate w/o Ovechkin:
Sprong-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Mantha-Backstrom-Oshie
Sheary-Eller-Raffl
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) April 24, 2021
Ovechkin has scored 24 goals in 43 games this season and sits just one goal away from tying Marcel Dionne for fifth on the NHL’s all-time goals list.
The Capitals face the Islanders in the second game of their three-game set Saturday night at Nassau Coliseum in New York. The two teams will return to the District for their regular season-series finale at Capital One Arena on Tuesday.
By Jon Sorensen
Have him sit, maybe he can go Tuesday.