The Capitals were operating without one of their top-4 defensemen on Friday morning.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals got back to work with a morning skate ahead of Friday's tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes, and they got some injury updates while also seeing a key name miss practice: Rasmus Sandin.
Sandin was not in attendance for the morning skate due to an illness, per the team. He will not play on Friday, per Carbery, and is TBD for Sunday.
With Sandin out, Ethan Bear got a promotion to the second power-play unit, running the point in his place. Joel Edmundson was also a full go at morning skate and figures to draw back into the lineup after missing Wednesday's game due to maintenance if Sandin isn't well enough to play.
On the plus side, Charlie Lindgren and Sonny Milano both took big steps forward as they joined the team for the entirety of the morning skate. Lindgren was in a normal jersey and taking turns in net as the team practiced with four netminders. Milano was in a non-contact jersey, but remained on the ice with the group.
It marks the first time Lindgren had skated since suffering an upper-body injury in the opening minutes of the Dec. 29 game against the New York Islanders.
T.J. Oshie, who had been taking contact, was not on the ice and did not join the team. He has returned home to Minnesota for treatment for his upper-body injury.
On the healthy scratch front, Matthew Phillips will draw out of the lineup , with Hendrix Lapierre getting a turn to play again. Lapierre will take his place on the third line with Dylan Strome and Max Pacioretty.
Washington faces the Hurricanes at Capital One Arena at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be on Monumental Sports Network.