Alex Ovechkin will be in the lineup for the Washington Capitals’ season opener on Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, despite missing the entire preseason due to a lower-body injury. The 41-year-old forward confirmed his readiness to play, acknowledging that his preparation has been unconventional following three days where he was unable to skate last week. Je préfère être en santé pendant la saison régulière que de risquer une autre blessure pendant le camp d’entraînement,
Ovi stated.
Ovechkin Returns for Season Opener After Preseason Absence
The veteran goalscorer chose to sit out Washington’s final two exhibition games as a preventative measure after sustaining the lower-body injury during training camp. Évidemment, ce sera peut-être compliqué lors des premiers matchs et ma préparation n’a pas été celle à laquelle je m’attends,
Ovechkin stated, acknowledging the hurdles of a shortened training camp that left him with limited recovery time. Toutefois, je me sens bien.
Ovechkin enters the new campaign as the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 929 career goals. A nearly identical scenario unfolded prior to the previous season, when he also dealt with minor ailments before returning for the final two exhibition games and playing all 82 regular-season contests. He finished that year with 32 goals and 32 assists. During Wednesday’s practice ahead of the opener, the left winger skated on a line alongside Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard.
Newcomer Tuch Shines in Debut Against Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina – Alex Tuch was nervous, which was completely understandable. While Ovechkin prepared for his return, newly acquired forward Alex Tuch delivered a standout performance in his first official game with Washington after the Capitals were among the most active teams in the NHL during the off-season following their missed Stanley Cup playoffs appearance last year, acquiring two players who had seasons of at least 30 goals on three occasions in Tuch and forward Jordan Kyrou in a trade with the St. Louis Blues. Tuch opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period after Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi misplayed a puck dumped behind the net by Ovechkin. Pierre-Luc Dubois quickly forced a turnover and fed the puck into the slot for Tuch to deposit into an empty cage. Lors des premières présences, on est un peu nerveux,
Tuch remarked. Tu gardes le jeu simple. Ça fait du bien de compter le premier. Bon, c’était dans un filet désert, donc c’est un petit cadeau.
Hurricanes Face Early-Season Struggles
The Capitals continue their early-season schedule on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Hurricanes return to action at the exact same time when they face the Philadelphia Flyers.
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