It’s another rookie lap for the Capitals! Aliaksei Protas got the usual treatment from his teammates before his NHL debut against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Monday.
Protas got a couple solid solo laps in during warmups before the rest of his teammates joined him on the ice.
#Caps rookie Aliaksei Protas looks like he will make his NHL debut tonight after taking the solo lap #ALLCAPS @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/nS5pMdllud
— Tom Hunsicker (@TomSportsWUSA9) November 1, 2021
Aliaksei Protas does his solo rookie lap ahead of the Capitals’ game vs Tampa Bay pic.twitter.com/eqCKcXAIR1
— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) November 1, 2021
Just like when Brett Leason made his NHL debut, Aliaksei Protas is making his NHL debut to help out while the Caps are going through some serious injury trouble to centers Nic Dowd, Nicklas Backstrom, and TJ Oshie.
Lineys!#CapsBolts pic.twitter.com/t7E49FpTM3
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 1, 2021
“Mom cried a little bit. She’s so happy for me.” — Aliaksei Protas on his first NHL call-up. He might make his debut tonight vs. the Lightning. #Caps pic.twitter.com/cH716jTzW7
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) November 1, 2021
With the addition of Protas to the lineup on Monday, the Capitals will become the only team in the NHL to have three selections from the 2019 NHL Draft play in an NHL game for their team, and all three are in the lineup tonight (Protas, McMichael, Leason).
Screenshot: Tom Hunsicker (Twitter: @TomSportsWUSA9)
