After Michal Kempny took a high and dangerous hit from the St. Louis Blues Robert Bortuzzo in a preseason game, Bortuzzo was suspended for the rest of the preseason and for one regular season game.
Kempny’s day-to-day upper body injury appears likely to keep him sidelined for the start of the regular season. According to the Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan, it’s possible Kempny misses not only the Capitals home opener against Boston, but also their Thursday night tilt against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
No Michal Kempny on the ice. Don’t expect him to play tomorrow night or Thursday in Pittsburgh at this point.
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) October 2, 2018
In Kempny’s absence, Madison Bowey takes over the right side defense spot next to Brooks Orpik, and Christian Djoos is bumped up to play on John Carlson’s left side.
Caps practice lines:
Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Connolly
Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie
Burakovsky-Eller-Stephenson
Walker-Dowd-DSPDjoos-Carlson
Orlov-Niskanen
Orpik-Bowey— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) October 2, 2018
