You sometimes wonder whether Capitals defenseman Mike Green has a magnet in his head that attracts pucks. It sure seems like an inordinate amount strike Green up high. It happened again Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings when Darren Helm’s dump-in smacked him in the jaw. Green needed stitches but returned to the game and had a great night with two power-play goals. Unfortunately, Green can’t seem to catch a break. He shook off the puck to the jaw — Bruce Boudreau was joking about it after the game — but in the process twisted his ankle, according to his agent, Craig Oster. Green’s upper half reacted so quickly when he turned away from the impact that his lower half didn’t come along for the ride.
It was nothing like the frightening puck to the side of the head against Pittsburgh on Feb. 6 or the shoulder to the jaw from New York Rangers forward Derek Stepan a few weeks later. Those blows cost Green virtually the final two months of the regular season.
But by the time Green took off his skates after the game, his right ankle had swelled enough that he was given the day off from Monday’s practice. Instead, Green made an appearance after practice to watch some of his teammates during a photo shoot with their dogs for a Washington Animal Rescue League project. But he was limping and his right foot was wrapped — though Green said it was not a cast and he felt OK. Just in case, defenseman Sean Collins was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League and likely will accompany the Caps on their trip to western Canada later this week.
– Brian McNally
