The Washington Capitals could get their captain back on Thursday night. Alex Ovechkin has sat out of the last three games due to a lower-body injury but was a full participant at Wednesday’s practice and Thursday’s morning skate.
In his media availability, head coach Spencer Carbery labeled The Great Eight a game-time decision for the night’s contest against the St. Louis Blues. Carbery also handed that designation to Beck Malenstyn (personal reasons) and Joel Edmundson (undisclosed injury).
Thursday night’s game is the team’s last home outing before they head off on a four-game road trip out west. They won’t play at home again until after the All-Star break.
“[Ovechkin] is better,” Carbery said. “He’ll be a game-time [decision] but I think we’ll see how he feels tonight. We’ve got some lineup things to work through today so there will be a lot of question marks for tonight. I can’t give you too much lineup-wise because it really could move in a bunch of different directions.”
Ovechkin, the team’s leading scorer, is one of those question marks although it appears likely he’ll be back in the team’s lineup. Unlike previous skates where he has also been listed as a game-time decision, Ovechkin took up his usual spot on the Capitals’ top power-play unit during Thursday’s pregame work. TJ Oshie had been filling in for him in the left faceoff circle at recent skates.
The big winger will put his six-game point streak on the line if he does indeed return against the Blues. He’ll have a good shot at extending that streak as he has frequently tormented St. Louis during his long, storied career, racking up 35 points (19g, 16a) in 24 career games against them.
The Capitals are currently carrying 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders. So, even if Ovechkin, Malenstyn, and Edmundson all are determined to be unavailable for the game, the Capitals will be able to ice a full complement of players without needing to make any recalls from AHL Hershey.
Malenstyn’s wife is expecting and the couple announced a January due date on Instagram back in August. Edmundson got through the team’s last game with no obvious sign of discomfort although he did get into a spirited bout with Anaheim Ducks forward Ross Johnston. The rugged blueliner skated 16:39 of total ice time in the win.
Two players that we know for sure will not be dressing against the Blues are Rasmus Sandin and Sonny Milano. However, Sandin did take a step forward during the morning skate, shedding the light blue, non-contact sweater that he had previously been wearing. Milano has not yet taken that step as his progress has seemingly plateaued.
Rasmus Sandin (upper-body) is skating in a regular jersey today. Has missed the last six games. pic.twitter.com/7PVhx22f5W
— Katie Adler (@katieEadler) January 18, 2024
Charlie Lindgren was the first goaltender off of the ice so he’ll retake the starter’s cage from Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper departs despite posting a shutout against the Ducks on Tuesday.
Lindgren, a former member of the Blues, was stellar in both of his previous 2024 starts. In two games against the New York Rangers, he stopped 54 of 58 shots he faced and recorded 3.33 goals saved above expected in the back-to-back appearances.
The Blues come into Thursday night five points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. They have won half of their last 10 games and have been off for several days after falling to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
St. Louis is just over a month removed from firing head coach Craig Berube. Berube was replaced on an interim basis by Drew Bannister.
