The Washington Capitals and captain Alex Ovechkin have suffered a setback ahead of their matchup against the Dallas Stars, as forward Dylan Strome has
been ruled out with a lower-body injury. The news hits at a crucial time, with the Capitals aiming to rebound from a tough 7–1 loss to the Ottawa Senators.
Strome sustained the injury in the first period of Saturday’s loss after getting tangled up with Artem Zub and colliding with Jakob Chychrun, who fell on his leg and sent him sliding hard into the end boards. The 28-year-old required assistance to leave the ice but briefly returned for a shift before heading back to the dressing room for the remainder of the game.
Head coach Spencer Carbery confirmed that Strome will not travel to Dallas and is listed as day-to-day. “You’re always concerned when someone goes into the boards,” Carbery told NHL.com.
He added: “It wasn’t a collision, but going in awkwardly always raises concern. The fact that he came back to try a shift made me feel more positive about where he was at.”
Capitals’ adjustments following Strome’s injury
With Strome sidelined, the Capitals recalled Ethen Frank from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. To make room for him, defenseman Rasmus Sandin was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to October 21. Sandin, recovering from an upper-body injury, skated Monday in a non-contact jersey and remains day-to-day.
In the meantime, Connor McMichael has been promoted to the top line, centering Alex Ovechkin and Ryan Leonard, who also earned a spot in the top six. The Capitals will rely on this new combination as they seek to stabilize their offense ahead of Tuesday’s clash in Dallas.
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