ARLINGTON, VA — The Washington Capitals will kick off their preseason Sunday afternoon, but the team’s non-game group wasn’t left entirely out of action.
Players not suiting up against the Philadelphia Flyers split into Red and White teams on Sunday morning to participate in an intrasquad scrimmage at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
Among the participants in the scrimmage was Mike Sgarbossa, who left practice early on Saturday after taking a puck up high to the face. He is listed on Washington’s 22-man roster against the Flyers but will not play.
While head coach Spencer Carbery told reporters after Saturday’s practice that he wasn’t sure of the extent of Sgarbossa’s injury, his participation Sunday indicates that the injury didn’t prove serious. Sgarbossa later told Monumental Sports Network’s Tarik El-Bashir that although he required six stitches, he did not lose any teeth.
The scrimmage included five-on-five and three-on-three play before concluding with a shootout, which featured a goal from captain Alex Ovechkin. Team Red ultimately won the matchup, 6-2.
The Capitals’ game group will face the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at 3 pm in their first preseason game of the 2024-25 campaign. The team will play six exhibition games before beginning their regular season against the New Jersey Devils on October 12.
