The Washington Capitals cannot escape the injury bug.
Saturday night, the Capitals announced before warmups in a surprise that the team would be without Nic Dowd and Hunter Shepard against the Toronto Maple LEafs. The Atletic’s Tarik El-Bashir reported the news on Twitter.
Dowd has a lower-body injury while Shepard is nursing an upper-body issue.
Dowd (lower body) and Shepard (upper body) are out tonight vs. TOR. Both day to day. #Caps
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) December 17, 2022
Shepard’s injury explains the Capitals’ emergency callup of Zach Fucale from Hershey.
RMNB reader Katie reported that Shepard took a puck off the mask during the morning skate and immediately left the ice.
Watched Hunter Shepard take a puck to the mask at practice today. Went immediately off the ice looking shaken. Guessing it’s him.
— Katie (@That_WriterGirl) December 17, 2022
As for Dowd, the fourth-line center has been especially good lately, potting two goals in the last seven games. Both were GWGs. Dowd has played in all 32 of the Capitals’ games this season. He was one of only 10 players to do.
According to the Capitals’ Mike Vogel, Dowd came off the ice for the morning skate early. Nicolas Aube-Kubel will replace him in the linueup.
#Caps are on the ice for warm-ups, and I'm not seeing Nic Dowd out there. He came off much earlier than usual after today's am skate. Nicolas Aube-Kubel is on ice for warm-ups, and may be in lineup for third straight game. He started season with Leafs, getting into six games.
— Mike Vogel (@VogsCaps) December 17, 2022
The Capitals will be facing Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov in net for the first time in DC. Puck drop is a little after 7 pm.
