Monumental Sports Network’s Joe Beninati will sit out Thursday night’s broadcast of the Washington Capitals’ game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The long-time Caps play-by-play man announced the news shortly before puck drop.
“The arena looks great tonight #ALLCAPS fans!” Beninati tweeted. “Unfortunately, I have been dealing with an illness since Tuesday, and doctors advise that I do not push my voice this evening. I will be on ice for the 895 ceremony and then hand off to @JohnWaltonPxP, @Laughlin18 & Al Koken.”
Capitals’ radio play-by-play man, John Walton, will take over for Joe B in the booth next to Craigh Laughlin, while the voice of the Hershey Bears, Zach Fisch, will fill in for Walton on the radio.
Beninati will still serve as the master of ceremonies for the Gr8ness Pre-game Ceremony honoring Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record with his 895th career goal last Sunday.
Joe B will have a few days of rest ahead of him as the Capitals’ following game on Saturday is a national TV exclusive on ABC against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Monumental will not carry another game until April 13, when the Blue Jackets make the return trip to DC.
Beninati’s absence comes just five games after his broadcast partner Laughlin, the team’s long-time color commentator, returned to call a game against the Buffalo Sabres for the first time in over two months. Laughlin had open-heart surgery to repair a bicuspid aortic valve and a blocked left anterior descending artery in January and had been out of action recovering and rehabbing.
Former Caps forward and long-time analyst Alan May filled in for Laughlin during his absence.
