Aliaksei Protas jumped on the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Monday morning.
The 24-year-old forward, wearing a regular practice jersey, participated in the Capitals’ morning skate after missing the team’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night due to a lower-body injury. The absence was Protas’s first of the season after he had played in all 41 prior games.
After the skate, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery listed Protas as a game-time decision for the club’s Monday night game against the Anaheim Ducks. “Yeah, we’ll find out this afternoon,” he said. “I’ll get the report from Serbs (head athletic trainer Jason Serbus), and we’ll see where we’re at.”
Carbery stated on Sunday that Protas was considered out “day-to-day,” and the Belarusian winger did not practice with the rest of the team. Protas’s absence stems from a skates-first crash into the boards in the Capitals’ 4-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators last Thursday.
Protas is currently riding a five-game point streak, scoring a goal in 14:55 of ice time against the Senators. Over his past eight games, Protas has recorded 11 points (6g, 5a). He ranks fourth on the Capitals in scoring with 31 points (16g, 15a) this season, behind only Tom Wilson (42), Alex Ovechkin (34), and Dylan Strome (33).
With Protas out of action, Anthony Beauvillier skated on the team’s top line with Ovechkin and Strome against the Blackhawks. Connor McMichael also a much-increased role, especially after Tom Wilson left the game injured, seeing a season-high 22:07 of ice time.
The Capitals will be back at Capital One Arena on Monday night, hosting the Ducks. Protas scored his lone career hat trick against the Ducks last season.
