NHL Buzz: Ovechkin, Dubois on same line for Capitals
Hronek game-time decision for Canucks; Sorokin, George back at Islanders practice
© Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Image
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin could play on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois for the first time since the preseason when the Capitals host the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, MNMT, KCOP-13).
The left wing practiced Monday on a line with Dubois at center and Aliaksei Protas at right wing. Ovechkin, who has 20 goals in 27 games this season and is 22 away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 goals, has played regularly with Dylan Strome, who practiced on a line with Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson.
Washington (28-10-5) is 4-0-3 in its past seven games.
“Just looking to change that top six and try to find a spark there,” coach Spencer Carbery said. “We haven’t used it all year, so we’ll see if that happens balance out our top six.”
Charlie Lindgren (upper body), who is on injured reserve, did not practice Monday. Carbery said he doesn’t have a timetable for the goalie’s return, but he’s "progressing, progressing well. ... So, we'll see if he's able to come off the IR when he's eligible (Saturday)."
Carbery said he didn’t know if Hunter Shepard, who was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League on Saturday to back up Logan Thompson, will get a start while Lindgren is out. The Capitals do not play consecutive games until Feb. 22-23, so it appears likely Thompson will play the bulk while Lindgren is unavailable.
Forward Sonny Milano (upper body) skated again and did skill work before practice, but didn’t stay on with his teammates. -- Tom Gulitti
Vancouver Canucks
Filip Hronek is a game-time decision at the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3).
The defenseman returned Monday from a conditioning loan with Abbotsford of the American Hockey League after missing 6 1/2 weeks with upper- and lower-body injuries. He practiced with his usual partner, Quinn Hughes.
"He had a really good practice," Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. "Protocol is usually I talk to a player later in the day or tomorrow morning to see how he feels after having a hard practice."
Hronek had a lower-body procedure Dec. 3. He has not played since Nov. 27, when he sustained a separate upper-body injury in the final minute of a 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 27. The initial timeline for his recovery was eight weeks but the 27-year-old resumed skating Dec. 27 and was loaned to the AHL on Jan. 8 to take part in practices.
Hronek has nine points (one goal, eight assists) and is plus-14 in 21 games this season. He signed an eight-year, $58 million contract ($7.25 million average annual value) with the Canucks on June 19
"He looked great. He always looks great," Hughes said. "I don't know what his plan is but I'm sure he'll be back the next couple of days, and we obviously desperately need him." -- Kevin Woodley
New York Islanders
Ilya Sorokin was back at practice Monday after he missed a 2-1 win at the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday due to illness.
The Islanders’ No. 1 goalie, who made 30 saves Thursday for his second shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory at the Vegas Golden Knights, is expected to start Tuesday when the Islanders (17-18-7) host the Ottawa Senators (7:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, TSN5, RDS2).
Sorokin is 13-13-4 with a 2.83 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 30 games this season.
Marcus Hogberg made 21 saves in a spot start Saturday for his first NHL win since Apr. 28, 2021.
Isaiah George also returned to practice Monday as a full participant.
The 20-year-old rookie defenseman has missed the past three games after he sustained an upper-body injury following a hit by forward Max Domi during a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 2.
George has five points (one goal, four assists) through his first 25 games while averaging 16:38 of ice time.
“He looked good,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I don’t know if he’s going to play tomorrow or not, but I’ll probably know more tomorrow. But he looked good.”
Alexander Romanov (upper body) did not practice and remains day to day. The defenseman was unavailable Saturday. -- Stefen Rosner
Colorado Avalanche
Scott Wedgewood practiced Monday and will be available for the Avalanche against the New York Rangers on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; KTVD, MSG, ALT, SNO (JIP), SNE (JIP), SN1 (JIP), SN360).
The goalie has missed four games with an ankle injury sustained during the second period of a 6-5 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 2.
“Still have some issues down there, but luckily it wasn't anything that was going to be like in the timeline that those high ankles [sprains] are,” Wedgewood said. “That's exactly what I felt as soon as Matt [Sokolowski], our athletic trainer, came out.
“Just obviously all the bad words you can think in your head were going off and alarm bells were going off. [I] couldn't put weight on it right away.”
Wedgewood is 4-2-0 in seven games (six starts) since being acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Nov. 30. He has a 2.35 GAA and .917 save percentage.
Samuel Girard (upper body) will miss his third straight game Tuesday; the defenseman has 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 42 games.
“He's not good to go, no,” Bednar said. “Day to day.”
Forwards Miles Wood (upper body) and Valeri Nichushkin (lower body), and defenseman Oliver Kylington (upper body) each skated but did not practice Monday. They are not close to returning.
“Probably still some distance to go yet for those guys, but we'll see how it goes,” Bednar said. -- Ryan Boulding
Columbus Blue Jackets
Zachary Aston-Reese signed a one-year contract with the Blue Jackets on Monday for next season.
The 30-year-old forward has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) and 94 hits in 42 games this season, his first with Columbus.
“Zach has been a great addition to the Blue Jackets on the ice and in the dressing room,” Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said. “He brings speed, grit and versatility to our forward group and we are excited that he will continue to be a part of our club.”
Aston-Reese who was not drafted, has 145 points (46 goals, 45 assists) in 352 regular-season games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ducks, Detroit Red Wings and the Blue Jackets, and five points (two goals, three assists) in 29 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Columbus (20-17-6) hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, NBCSP+).
Toronto Maple Leafs
Jake McCabe practiced briefly Monday for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury in a fight with Garnet Hathaway during a 3-2 overtime win against the Flyers on Jan. 5.
The defenseman skated on his own prior to practice and joined the first 10 minutes of the main session before departing.
“It’s great he’s out there,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said. “I know he skated there for a little bit before, but he did some drills with us and he’s doing really well. There’s been no setbacks with him, so it’s good to see.”
McCabe, who missed five games earlier this season after taking a puck to the head Nov. 30, will miss his fourth straight game when Toronto hosts the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, Victory+).
Jani Hakanpaa participated in his first full practice Monday since undergoing a knee procedure in December.
The defenseman, who had arthroscopic knee surgery during the offseason, has played only two games this season (Nov. 13, 16).
“I don’t know how close he is, to be honest with you,” Berube said. “This is a good step in the right direction having them out there in practice and he's going to need some more practice time for sure and feeling like he's ready to go. That's a tough timeline for me to give you on that one.”
Hakanpaa, who was selected to play for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, is hoping to be ready in time for the tournament that will be played from Feb. 12-20.
“I guess time will tell here; we'll kind of see more day by day for a day with the team now, so it's about building and yeah, hopefully we get there before the 4 Nations.” -- Dave McCarthy
