The Capitals captain did not take power-play reps.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals got a positive sign ahead of their meeting with the Anaheim Ducks, as Alex Ovechkin took part in the team's morning skate on Tuesday.
The Capitals captain, who has missed the last two games and four of the last five practices with a lower-body injury, was one of the first players to take the ice. He was in a regular jersey and participated in routine drills but did not take part in the power play reps, indicating that he could potentially sit out for Tuesday. Washington did not run lines at practice.
Ovechkin was first injured back on Jan. 5, when he collided with Jordan Staal late in the third period of a 6-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He appeared to take the brunt of the impact to the back of his left leg.
He played through two game-time decisions before ultimately sitting out of this past weekend's home-and-home with the New York Rangers. His status against Anaheim remains up in the air, as he'll be a game-time decision for the fifth consecutive game.
Getting Ovechkin back would be a major boost for Washington. The 38-year-old has points in six straight contests and leads the team in scoring with 27 points in 39 games, and he has continued to find ways to chip on offense despite his goal-scoring struggles. With D.C. just three points out of a Wild Card going into Tuesday, getting him back in the mix would be a plus.
However, giving him the proper time to recover is important, especially with the second half of the season officially here and the team needing to make every stride possible for a playoff spot.