A good amount of Capitals showed up to shake off a 6-2 loss to the Sabres.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals got back home late from Buffalo following a 6-2 loss to the Sabres, but several players took it upon themselves to take the ice for an optional practice.
Tom Wilson, whose six-game suspension is up and who is expected to return against the Pittsburgh Penguins, was among those skating.
Max Pacioretty, Rasmus Sandin, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Beck Malenstyn, Mike Sgarbossa, Vincent Iorio, Hendrix Lapierre, Aliaksei Protas, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Alex Alexeyev, Martin Fehervary and Darcy Kuemper were also in attendance. Head coach Spencer Carbery took the ice to lead the drills, too, along with his staff.
Kuemper did appear to be experiencing some discomfort at the end of the skate. Head coach Spencer Carbery didn’t have an update on his status.
T.J. Oshie, who is out with an upper-body injury but joined the tea in Buffalo, did not skate, nor did Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson or other players who skate heavy minutes. Charlie Lindgren, who was pulled in Tuesday's defeat, got the morning off.
Washington is coming off a tough showing against Buffalo that saw turnovers, giveaways and a lack of puck luck lead to a meltdown, resulting in three goals against in under three minutes.
"We just gave up too many chances against and chasing the game the whole night... just squandered away," Dylan Strome said. "Just disappointing... would like to get some ground but it is what it is. One game, just move on."
The Capitals have eight games to go on the regular season circuit and are in the thick of an intense playoff race, as they sit tied for the second Wild Card spot with the Detroit Red Wings and one point behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division.
Washington hosts the Penguins on Thursday before heading to Carolina immediately after for the second game of a back-to-back against the Hurricanes.