Capitals veteran forward Mike Knuble was the lone player not to skate on Tuesday as the team prepared for Game 4 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
The team called it a maintenance day and coach Bruce Boudreau said he expects his top line right wing to play. Replays of Knuble’s power-play goal Sunday against the Rangers show him getting hit in the right hand with a Mike Green slap shot before scoring a few moments later. Knuble takes off his glove during the goal celebration and checks his hand. But he also did return to the game for one more shift late in the third period that lasted 46 seconds. It’s the playoffs so
At least at practice Jason Chimera moved to the top line at right wing. Eric Fehr and Jay Beagle both sported green jerseys skating on the third line. Boudreau would say only of Fehr – the logical player to step in if Knuble can’t play or if Chimera is scheduled to be a healthy scratch – that he was “coming on the trip, so there’s a chance.” For understandable reasons, Fehr didn’t want any part of the “are you playing?” question.
Otherwise, defenseman Tom Poti (groin) and Dennis Wideman (right leg hematoma) skated – Wideman again in warm-up gear before practice started. Until we see him get in some contact drills with his teammates I wouldn’t get too excited about a return being imminent.
The lines: Ovechkin-Backstrom-Chimera (red); Sturm-Arnott-Semin (grey); Laich-Johansson-Fehr-Beagle (green); Hendricks-Gordon-Bradley-King (white). The defensive pairings: Carlson-Alzner; Schultz-Green; Hannan-Erskine.
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