Update on Caps goalie Michal Neuvirth. He missed practice on Wednesday with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said the injury is unrelated to the one that pushed Neuvirth back a start in the preseason.
Neuvirth, 23, was the surprise starter in the season-opening victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Verizon Center. He stopped 28 of 31 shots in a 4-3 overtime win. Veteran Tomas Vokoun, signed as a free agent over the summer and the presumed No. 1, then made his Washington debut on Monday against Tampa Bay. But Vokoun didn’t fare all that well, allowing five goals on 28 shots.
Just on merit, it seems likely Neuvirth would have taken the start tomorrow night when the Caps play at the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also was the better player in training camp, for what that’s worth. The Caps could recall Braden Holtby – or Dany Sabourin, for that matter – from AHL Hershey and have one of them meet the team in Pittsburgh for the morning skate tomorrow, Boudreau allowed. Holtby gave up two goals on 29 shots in his AHL debut over the weekend. Boudreau didn’t name a specific call-up, though.
But if Neuvirth can skate there’s “a good chance”, according to Boudreau, that he gets the nod in goal. Neuvirth has an active shutout streak of 1:44.43 against Pittsburgh. He stopped 61 shots in two February shutouts against them last season.
“Right now we’re still not changing plans,” Boudreau said. “We’ll see. He wasn’t able to practice today.”
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