The Washington Capitals lost forward Ethen Frank to injury during Sunday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
Frank collided hard with the goal post after getting pushed into the net by Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews. The winger immediately skated off the ice and down to the locker room with 9:26 remaining in the first period. During the first intermission, the Capitals officially ruled Frank out for the rest of the game.
Speaking with reporters afterward, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery briefly commented on Frank’s injury and the play that injured him.
“Lower body. I haven’t been updated on the extent of it, but left the game, lower body, didn’t return,” Carbery said.
He added, “Yeah, (Toews) gives him a little shove. It’s a bang-bang play. I look at it more from, usually when you’re in those situations, you want to be careful because (of) your goaltender. You know what I mean? Because if you push someone in that’s going 25 miles an hour on top of your goaltender, usually your goaltender’s getting hurt in those scenarios. So fortunate — they’re fortunate for that, but it’s unfortunate for us because Franky leaves the game early and then we’re down to 11 forwards.”
The Capitals have only one other healthy forward available on their roster currently, Ivan Miroshnichenko. The Russian forward prospect has been healthy-scratched in eight consecutive games since being called up on March 6.
Centerman David Kampf, whom the Capitals acquired at the trade deadline, is not currently with the team and is in Vancouver due to visa issues (which have since been resolved) and the birth of his child.
Carbery said he didn’t yet know if Kampf would join the team on their upcoming three-game road trip out west. The original plan was for him to meet the team sometime this week, but there’s been no confirmation of his travel plans yet.
