Noooooo! (Photo credit: Stephen Whyno/The Washington Times)

On Tuesday, the Washington Capitals scrimmaged their ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals, at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. With a shortened training camp, the Caps need every opportunity to get into game shape. But with the regular season just days away they also don’t want to get hurt, and Washington had a bit of a scare on that front.

As Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson were skating in the neutral zone, they collided brutally near center ice. Both players laid on the ice in pain and were slow to get up.

While Johansson managed to stay in the game, the Capitals’ captain, who was bleeding from the chin, had to leave the ice for repairs.

Thankfully, ten minutes later Ovechkin returned to the bench, and in the second period he erased any doubts that he was injured at all. Ovi scored one of those sick goals we’ve all become accustomed to and then assisted on a John Carlson tally. Both goals were scored a few minutes apart of each other. Later in the third period, Ovechkin would be credited with the primary assist on a Nicklas Backstrom goal.

Ovechkin, who has skated on the left wing his whole career, is trying to get accustomed to a switch to the right side during training camp. We love the experimenting, but this is the second time in two years he’s collided with a teammate at Kettler. Maybe somebody should install a speaker on his rear and have it beep whenever anyone’s within 10 feet of him on the ice. We can’t lose this guy to injury.

The Caps went on to win, 8-0. They should be in good shape this season, provided they play only minor league teams — or the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ovechkin says he’s OK: “My mouth was bleeding so I had to go to [the athletic trainer’s] room and check it out if I lose more tooth or not.”

— Katie Carrera (@kcarrera) January 15, 2013