Center Nic Dowd was a full participant during the Washington Capitals’ line rushes at Wednesday’s practice at the Panther’s Ice Den and the 31-year-old said that he is available for Thursday’s game against the Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington). Dowd has missed three of the past four games with a lower-body injury and is eligible to be activated off of injured reserve.

The #Caps are focusing on the power play in the second half of today’s practice. The unit has scored four goals in the last three games but is ranked 16th overall (20.0-percent). pic.twitter.com/47clqlDmGN

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) November 3, 2021

Center Nicklas Backstrom, who has yet to play this season due to a hip injury which was aggravated late last season, skated on his own after the team’s practice. He is eligible to play against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday but has yet to skate with the team.

Head coach Peter Laviolette discusses facing a red-hot Panthers squad for the first time this season tomorrow night.#ALLCAPS | @socios pic.twitter.com/Fp6s5RB422

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 3, 2021

Center Evgeny Kuznetsov told the media after practice that his appearance on the Capitals’ five-on-three penalty kill in their 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday was his first time doing it. “I was sitting on the bench nice and tight you know? From nowhere, ‘Kuzy, go.’ That’s funny, but at same time that is the opportunities you can get,” he said.

#Caps lines and pairs today in Florida:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Wilson
Mantha-Eller-Sprong
Sheary-McMichael-Lapierre-Leason
Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway-Protas

Fehervary-Carlson
TvR-Schultz
Orlov-Jensen

*If Dowd is activated, WSH will have to make a move

— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) November 3, 2021

The Panthers announced that center Sam Bennett (upper-body injury), former Capitals defenseman Radko Gudas (undisclosed injury), and defenseman Markus Nutivaara (undisclosed injury) are day-to-day and will not play on Thursday.

“Sitting in an arena like Tampa and not playing definitely makes you understand why you want to play so bad.”

Nic Dowd, who skated in this afternoon’s practice, talks his recent absence from the lineup due to injury.#ALLCAPS | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/OwJ0TOBhJC

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 3, 2021

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will start in goal for the Panthers vs. the Capitals.

NHL News

* New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban will have a hearing today for Tripping Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras on Tuesday

* New York Rangers loaned right-wing Vitaly Kravtsov to KHL’s Traktor Chelyabinsk

* Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and defenseman Brian Dumoulin both tested positive for COVID-19

CAPS TODAY: The Capitals have five rookies on their roster for the first time since April 7, 2018. More info on the Capitals’ rookie group and #Caps Clips at https://t.co/HecIC0ECg1 pic.twitter.com/ble3U51Kla

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 3, 2021

By Harrison Brown