The Washington Capitals finished their 5-4 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators without defenseman Rasmus Sandin.
Sandin was forced out of the game with 18 seconds remaining in the third period after Josh Norris made incidental contact with his head in Ottawa’s zone. As Sandin circled to return to his defensive position, Norris’ shoulder inadvertently clipped the Swedish rearguard, taking him off his skates.
Capitals head athletic trainer Jason Serbus made his way onto the ice to attend to Sandin. The 24-year-old blueliner returned to the team’s dressing room under his own power but did not return to Washington’s bench for overtime or the shootout. Luckily, initial signs are good for his prognosis, and his absence was just precautionary.
“He’s fine,” head coach Spencer Carbery said postgame. “He cleared protocol, so everything looks okay there. That [hit] was a weird one because when I watched the multiple replays, it truly did look like Norris didn’t know that Sandin was there and it was just ‘incidental,’ so I didn’t really have an issue. I think Norris just didn’t even see him there.”
Sandin skated 16:44 of ice time in the win before departing. He also recorded his 18th assist of the season on Pierre-Luc Dubois’ first-period goal, one hit, and two blocked shots.
Sandin now has 22 points (4g, 18a) in 61 games this season. He has yet to miss a game this year for the Capitals, one of 11 skaters that can claim that feat.
