Caps goalie Michal Neuvirth was out on the ice for another full day of practice on Tuesday. And it may not be much longer before he is ready to return to the crease for the first time since opening night against Carolina on Oct. 8. Battling a painful bruise on his right foot suffered during the morning skate Oct. 10 before a game against Tampa Bay, Neuvirth has been making progress.
Veteran Tomas Vokoun has played the last six games and shined, earning NHL third star of the week honors on Monday. But Washington coach Bruce Boudreau dropped a hint – maybe an inadvertent one – that Neuvirth would start Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Asked how he’ll balance giving the 35-year-old Vokoun a rest and getting Neuvirth back into game action, Boudreau said:
“Well, I don’t know. There’ s no balance. Just work. I told him that he’s probably starting Thursday. Just take what you need [Wednesday]. He’s got to work hard like everybody else the first two days and whatever he needs tomorrow to get ready for Thursday, get ready.”
The “him” seemed to refer to Neuvirth. But Boudreau caught himself on the follow-up question.
“Told Neuvy?”
“Told one of them,” Boudreau said as reporters chuckled.
If that is the case, Vokoun would go against Vancouver. The Caps return home for a Nov. 1 game Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks and then have their first back-to-back of the season Nov. 4 (at Carolina) and Nov. 5 (at New York Islanders).
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