Alex Ovechkin was the only Capitals player missing from the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday morning.
Per RMNB’s Katie Adler, the 39-year-old Caps captain took a maintenance day ahead of the team’s potential season-ending Game 5 against the Carolina Hurricanes at Capital One Arena. Ovechkin has just one point in the series — a five-on-three power-play goal in Game 4.
Head coach Spencer Carbery relayed that there were no questions about Ovechkin’s Game 5 availability after the skate was over.
“No, no concern,” Carbery said.
Ovechkin played 19:58 of ice time in Game 4’s losing effort, the most time on ice he’s seen in a single game during the playoffs. In addition to his goal, he recorded three shots, 10 individual shot attempts, six individual scoring chances, three individual high-danger chances, six hits, and a minor penalty for tripping.
Overall in the playoffs, Ovechkin has recorded six points (5g, 1a) in nine games. He has skated with center Dylan Strome and either Anthony Beauvillier, Aliaksei Protas, or Tom Wilson on the right wing.
The Capitals have been good with Ovechkin on the ice at five-on-five in the postseason, seeing 51.4 percent of expected goals and 59.6 percent of high-danger chances. Carbery has shielded his top line from defensive assignments, only giving Ovechkin and Strome one defensive-zone start through nine playoff games.
In NHL history, only six players have scored more goals than Ovechkin (13) when facing elimination from the playoffs. In 29 career games facing elimination, Ovechkin has recorded 24 points (13g, 11a).
