The Capitals are making some tweaks with Ovechkin's status up in the air.
WASHINGTON — The Washington Capitals will have to wait and see whether or not they will have their captain on Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings, as Alex Ovechkin remains a game-time decision.
Ovechkin will warm up and see how he feels, and then the team will go from there. The 38-year-old was injured late in Friday's loss to the Carolina Hurricanes after colliding with Jordan Staal. He went down in visible pain and was slow to get up, but made his way to the bench on his own and played the remainder of the game. Ovechkin missed Saturday's practice due to maintenance.
It'd be a tough blow for the Capitals, who are having problems generating offense this season. Ovechkin has just eight goals, but his 25 total points lead the team through 37 games this season, and he is currently enjoying a four-game point streak.
Meanwhile, Charlie Lindgren also remains out and on the injured reserve as he deals with a day-to-day upper-body injury. He has been skating with the team and there was a chance he would draw back into the mix on Sunday, but he will take another game of rest. Darcy Kuemper will start with Lindgren unavailable, and Hunter Shepard will back up.
Rasmus Sandin will also miss his second consecutive game due to an illness.
With the team working through multiple ailments, warmups will be the determining factor for the lineup on Sunday, as the team may choose to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen if Ovechkin can't go. It would mark Alex Alexeyev's first game since Nov. 24.