All signs point to defenseman Mike Green returning from his right ankle injury against the New Jersey Devils tonight at Prudential Center. Green and Bruce Boudreau both termed it a “game-time decision”, but he stayed out for the entire morning skate and has shown no setbacks following Wednesday’s grueling bag skate at Kettler Iceplex.
That would leave someone out of the lineup. My guess is it would be Jeff Schultz or John Erskine. But at an optional morning skate no one stayed out for extra work. Quick and dirty for the Caps this morning. Expect everyone to take warm-ups.
“It’s more of how [Green] feels,” Boudreau said. “He’s cleared to play. It’s just up to him.”
Green has missed six games since falling awkwardly on his right ankle trying to escape a puck shot at his face during an Oct. 22 game against the Detroit Red Wings at Verizon Center. His conditioning is up to par, according to Boudreau, who wryly noted his team is 7-0 with Green and 2-4 without him. Those numbers are self-evident.
“You watch the game and you see how he’s going. Mike, I’ve known him for a long time, and he seems the more he plays the better he gets,” Boudreau said. “He’s one of those guys that won’t want to sit on sidelines and play nine minutes.”
The Caps tried that last year when they put Green out only on the power play as he nursed a right shoulder injury. He was hurt in an Oct. 13 game against the New York Islanders. Green returned 10 days later against the then-Atlanta Thrashers on Oct. 23 and played just 5 minutes, 39 seconds total. It actually wasn’t all that fun.
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