Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin will not suit up against the Florida Panthers, Saturday night. Ovechkin is dealing with an upper-body injury and the team says he is day-to-day.
The Caps announced the news ahead of warmups.
#Caps captain Alex Ovechkin (upper body) will not play tonight versus Florida. Ovechkin is listed as day-to-day.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) April 8, 2023
Ovechkin did not skate with the rest of his teammates on Saturday morning and was listed as a game-time decision. In his last game, Ovechkin played 21:49 of ice time in a 6-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.
The Great Eight is the team’s leader in both goal-scoring (42) and overall total points (74).
Ovechkin has missed six prior games this season and the Caps have lost all six by a combined score of 27 to 12. This will be only the 30th game Ovechkin has missed during his 18-year career due to injury.
First season of his career in which he’s had three separate absences for injury (also had three absences in 20/21 but one was Covid-protocol) https://t.co/dKKUdOwnVm
— NHLInjuryViz (@NHLInjuryViz) April 8, 2023
Anthony Mantha joins Ovechkin out of the lineup for a second-straight game due to a lower-body injury. The team is also still without TJ Oshie and Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Beck Malenstyn was recalled from Hershey on Friday to fill in one of the open spots in the lineup. Even with him now in the NHL, the Caps will be forced to play another game down one skater.
Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB
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