Here are the latest updates from the Capitals' morning skate.
Here are the latest updates from the Capitals' morning skate.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — As the Washington Capitals return to action on Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres, they'll be without Evgeny Kuznetsov for the second straight game
Kuznetsov is still recovering from an illness that kept him out of the lineup on Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and held him out for two practices before that.
"He won't play. Just working his way back," head Spencer Carbery explained. "Was sick earlier in the week, missed a few days and not quite 100 percent yet."
With Kuznetsov out, Hendrix Lapierre, who broke out with three points and the game-winning goal in Saturday's win, will remain in the mix as the third-line center.
Meanwhile, Martin Fehervary upgraded from the powder blue non-contact jersey to a regular sweater and took part in the full morning skate with the group, plus extra work afterward. The Slovak blueliner is still working his way back from a lower-body injury suffered on Nov. 10 against the New Jersey Devils, and he will miss his fourth consecutive game on Wednesday while remaining on the injured reserve.
Still, there is hope he will be back for Friday's tilt against the Edmonton Oilers and for the upcoming California road swing.
"He's getting closer," Carbery added. "He will skate, obviously skated today, will skate tomorrow. We'll sort of [evaluate] a little bit and see if he's a potential possibility for Friday."
In other injury news, Max Pacioretty continues to skate on his own and remains on the LTIR, along with Nicklas Backstrom, who is taking indefinite leave from the team due to chronic hip issues.