Screencap: @EmeraldCityHky/Twitter

Minutes after picking up his first NHL point, Washington Capitals defenseman Alexander Alexeyev left during the second period of Friday’s game against the Seattle Kraken with an upper-body injury after a hit to the head from Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak.

The 23-year-old blueliner appeared to be in severe discomfort and headed down the tunnel following the hit from Oleksiak, who was given a match penalty for an illegal check to the head.

Upon review, Jamie Oleksiak assessed a match penalty for this hit on Alexander Alexeyev.

You can talk about intent or Oleksiak’s height, but bottom line is this kind of hit can’t be in the game. Major is the correct call. pic.twitter.com/zNeR4XX1pt

— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) December 10, 2022

Washington was assessed a five-minute power-play and converted, leading 2-1 with a goal from left-wing Marcus Johansson (6).

flick of the wrist pic.twitter.com/W97xam1GXl

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 10, 2022

The Capitals later announced during the second intermission that Alexeyev would not return to the game due to an upper-body injury.

INJURY UPDATE: #Caps Alex Alexeyev (upper body) will not return to tonight’s game.

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 10, 2022

It’s not the first run-in with Oleksiak the Capitals have encountered. The then-Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman dropped the gloves with Capitals’ right-wing Tom Wilson around this time four years ago.

By Della Young