The Washington Capitals took the ice for warmups before their game against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night without defenseman Rasmus Sandin. Capitals PR announced that he would miss the game due to a lower-body injury.
There had been no previous indication of injury for Sandin, who had played in each of the Capitals’ games in March. Rookie blueliner Vincent Iorio will replace Sandin on the team’s defense corps.
INJURY UPDATE: #Caps Rasmus Sandin will not play tonight versus Boston (lower body).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) March 30, 2024
Sandin has three points (3a) in his last six games and skated 22:21 of ice time in the Capitals’ loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. The Swedish rearguard is the team’s second-leading minutes eater, skating on average 21:21 per game this season.
Iorio was recalled by the Capitals on Wednesday after it was announced that Ethan Bear had entered into the NHL/NHLPA’s Player Assistance program. This will be his season debut after he played in his first three NHL games last season.
The 21-year-old defender has recorded 14 points (4g, 10a) in 60 games for the AHL-leading Hershey Bears this year. Iorio will line up on the Capitals’ third pairing with Trevor van Riemsdyk. Alex Alexeyev will take Rasmus Sandin’s spot on the second pairing next to Nick Jensen.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Matthew Phillips are the healthy scratches.
Lineys!#CapsBruins | @JackDaniels_US pic.twitter.com/FWv650fYzL
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 30, 2024
