ARLINGTON, V.A. — The Washington Capitals saw Alex Ovechkin take a major step forward on Saturday, as the captain took the ice with the group for practice for the first time all training camp.

Ovechkin remained in a non-contact jersey, but was participating in small-area drills and taking reps while cycling in on line rushes. The 40-year-old remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury, but it's a step in the right direction.

Group A could be how the Capitals line up for Sunday's preseason game against the New Jersey Devils.

Ovechkin, who was rotating in, isn't ready to dress, but coach Spencer Carbery hopes that he can get the Russian into at least one road and one home preseason game ahead of the regular season. They will play things by ear, though.

Here were the combinations from Group A:

Aliaksei Protas-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Ryan Leonard

Brandon Duhaime-Ilya Protas-Justin Sourdif

Andrew Cristall-Eriks Mateiko-Graeme Clarke

Terik Parascak-Patrick Thomas-Bogdan Trineyev

Alex Ovechkin (rotating in)

Jakob Chychrun-Trevor van Riemsdyk

Rasmus Sandin-Dylan McIlrath

Louie Belpedio-Cam Allen

David Gucciardi (rotating in)

Charlie Lindgren

Clay Stevenson

Washington also ran power play at practice, with Aliaksei Protas, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ryan Leonard, Andrew Cristall and Jakob Chychrun on PP1.