Alex Ovechkin missed the Capitals’ morning skate on Saturday and was officially listed as a game-time decision for the team’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Ovechkin was officially ruled out for the game before the Caps took the ice for warmups. The team says that Ovi is day-to-day due to a lower-body injury.
#Caps captain Alex Ovechkin will not play tonight vs Vegas and is listed as day-to-day with a lower body injury.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) January 22, 2023
This is Ovechkin’s first missed game this season and only the 28th of his entire career due to injury and 48th overall. Last season, The Great Eight missed the final three games of the regular season with an injury to his shoulder.
“It’s not a secret that I hit the board, hit my shoulder,” Ovechkin said last May. “In playoffs, I don’t think it matter. If it hurts you have some injections, you have some magic pill.”
Ovechkin far and away leads the Capitals in both goals (30) and total points (52) in 48 games played this season. He had been on pace for 51 goals and 88 points over a full 82-game slate until this injury.
After this game in Vegas, the Caps have four games remaining before the All-Star break. Ovi has been chosen to represent the Metropolitan Division this year in Florida.
Water is wet.
The sun rises.
Ovi's an #NHLAllStar.Congrats, #Gr8!#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ap6bn08jCo
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 6, 2023
Anthony Mantha will enter the lineup in Ovechkin’s place after being a healthy scratch for four of the team’s last six games.
Lineys!#CapsKnights | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/nxFF5pqxuC
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 22, 2023
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
