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Darcy Kuemper to back up Charlie Lindgren against the Red Wings

By Ian Oland

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December 19, 2022 12:09 pm

Darcy Kuemper, who wants to bring back the dinosaurs, is also bringing himself back to the Capitals’ active roster. Kuemper has not appeared in a game since getting elbowed in the head during a game against the Calgary Flames on December 3 – sixteen days ago.

Charlie Lindgren will start against the Detroit Red Wings, but Kuemper will dress and be the backup after being cleared by team doctors.

Lindgren and Kuemper were the only goalies on the ice during the Capitals’ morning skate.

During Kuemper’s absence, Lindgren has won six of his seven starts and was named the NHL’s first star of the week. Lindgren has a 1.87 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage in his last seven starts.

Nic Dowd, who missed Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, participated in the morning skate and returned to his normal spot on the fourth line between Aliaksei Protas and Garnet Hathaway. Laviolette said Dowd would be a game-time decision. Nicolas Aube-Kubel slid into TJ Oshie’s open spot in the lineup with him out day-to-day. Oshie did not skate and has been out since pulling up lame while skating during the Leafs’ game.

Here are the lines per The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir.

Notably, Capitals rookie defenseman Alex Alexeyev was also back in a non-contact jersey for the morning skate.

The Capitals will play the Detroit Red Wings for the second time this season tonight at Capital One Arena. Their previous meeting in November, the Capitals lost 3-1 in Detroit.

Alex Ovechkin will be attempting to score his 801st and 802nd goals to tie and pass Gordie Howe for second on the NHL’s all-time goals list.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

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