The Washington Capitals announced that center Aliaksei Protas will not be available for the team’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington in-market, ESPN+ out-of-market) with his wife expecting the birth of the couple’s first child.
Left-wing Joe Snively, who was recalled from the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Tuesday, will take the 23-year-old’s spot in the lineup.
#Caps‘ lines/pairs vs. CAR:
73-Sheary, 92-Kuznetsov, 39-Mantha
15-Milano, 19-Backstrom, 90-Johansson
91-Snively, 17-Strome, 77-Oshie
96-Aube-Kubel, 20-Eller, 21-Hathaway56-Gustafsson, 57-van Riemsdyk
9-Orlov, 3-Jensen
52-Irwin, 42-FehervaryKuemper vs Andersen. #CapsCanes
— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) February 14, 2023
Captain Alex Ovechkin will also not play (for the next week) while tending a family matter, the team announced on Tuesday morning.
Protas has three goals and 10 points in 43 NHL games and two goals and five points in eight AHL outings this season.
By Harrison Brown
If he or she takes after daddy, I hope they got a big crib!
Congrats Alex!
She is relatively tiny. They make an adorable couple.
No one donning the “C” for the Capitals tonight with Alex Ovechkin away from the team. T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom and Dmitry Orlov were all alternate captains.
Congrats to Alex. It’s good to see Snively in the lineup. Hopefully he makes the most of it as he is offensive minded and can help with Ovi out.
Even if he gets no offense, his speed should keep Carolina’s d corps honest.