Capitals defenseman John Carlson was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after taking a slap shot to the face early in the third period against the Winnipeg Jets, Friday.

The Capitals say that Carlson “remains under the care of team medical personnel” and is out indefinitely.

#Caps John Carlson was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation following his injury during the third period of Friday’s game vs. WPG. Carlson was discharged from the hospital earlier today and remains under the care of team medical personnel. He is out indefinitely

— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) December 24, 2022

Carlson took a Brenden Dillon slap shot off his right cheek, bleeding profusely as he quickly retreated to the locker room. According to NBC Sports Washington’s Alan May, Carlson left a trail of blood from the ice to the locker room. He was transported to the hospital after the game, per Peter Laviolette, for precautionary reasons. May said on the postgame show the injury was “superficial” in nature at the moment.

Carlson’s injury marred what was otherwise a dominant game by the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin scored his 801st and 802nd goals of his career, passing Gordie Howe for second place on the NHL’s all-time goals list.

“It sucks Carly get hurt,” Ovechkin said. “In whole third period, I think boys was thinking about him and how he’s doing. Hope he’s all right. I don’t know what’s happening right now but all our minds are with him.”

“It’s tough that Carly wasn’t there tonight because he sits right next to Ovi and is such a loud, vocal piece inside the locker room,” Laviolette said.

Carlson, the Capitals’ longtime number-one defenseman, missed six games earlier in the season due to a lower-body injury.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB