Here's the latest from Capitals practice.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — After shutting out the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, the Washington Capitals got back to work with a rigorous practice on Wednesday. However, it didn't end on the highest note, with Darcy Kuemper going down in visible pain with a lower-body injury during a center-ice scrimmage to close things out.
Head coach Spencer Carbery shed more light on Kuemper's injury, which resulted from a puck hitting him in an area without padding.
"Not ideal," Carbery said, adding that he didn't have an update on his status yet.
Washington is off on Thursday and does not play again until Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Capitals just got Kuemper back after he'd missed the weekend back-to-back in New Jersey and New York with another undisclosed injury.
Another player reeling from the effects of blocking a shot is Matthew Phillips, who took a maintenance day (lower-body) after having blocked a shot in the win over Vegas. He appeared to hobble a bit following that play against the Golden Knights.
Despite Kuemper and Phillips' ailments, Washington did get more positive news on the injury front. Anthony Mantha upgraded to a full-contact jersey and is hopeful to return to the lineup this weekend. The 29-year-old suffered a ruptured eardrum after being struck in the head by a puck in the Nov. 8 game against the Florida Panthers.
Mantha had 4-5 stitches to close the cut on his ear from the injury and was taken to the hospital to undergo CT scans and tests. He passed his concussion tests and was all clear for fractures and internal bleeding, though he did suffer from dizziness and vomiting through the first 36 hours following the injury.
Joel Edmundson and Trevor van Riemsdyk remained in full-contact jerseys after upgrading earlier in the week, and both could also be back in the lineup for Saturday's game.
As for Martin Fehervary, he still isn't skating and will be a bit longer in his recovery. He appeared to tweak something while defending in front of the net on Friday against the New Jersey Devils. He's unlikely for Saturday but will be reevaluated.