The Capitals are getting two centers back in the lineup tonight against Buffalo, with Sammi Silber of The District Standard reporting that both Pierre-Luc Dubois and Justin Sourdif will return.
Dubois has been out for the last five games because of illness after putting together a strong opening to his season, posting four points in four games. Sourdif missed two contests with an illness of his own and has one goal in seven games this year after signing an eight-year extension before training camp. Dubois is still on injured reserve, but Washington has an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is needed.
There’s also a notable night ahead for Alex Ovechkin, though it has nothing to do with chasing a milestone. Instead, tonight will be his 10th game of the season, which unlocks a $4.75MM performance bonus. Because the Capitals are only narrowly under the Upper Limit, per PuckPedia, most of that bonus money is expected to hit next year’s salary cap.
In Pittsburgh, Evgeni Malkin will miss tonight’s game against Nashville because of illness, according to team play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff. The 40-year-old has been producing at a high level early, with six goals - tied for the team lead - and three assists in 11 games.
That leaves him second on the Penguins in scoring overall. Avery Hayes, who was recalled earlier today, will take his place in the lineup.
Across the division, there still isn’t a timetable for Islanders center Mathew Barzal’s return, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports. Barzal has been out since the start of training camp with inflammation in his left knee.
The encouraging signs are that the inflammation has gone down and he has been skating lightly on his own, and GM Mathieu Darche said there hasn’t been a setback. Even so, he was expected back by now, and he remains a ways off from returning.
That’s a tough break for the Islanders’ offense, especially after Barzal led the team with 72 points in 81 games last season.
In Other News...
Islanders Fans Just Got A New Belmont Game Day Perk
Belmont Park racetrack is back in action after its redevelopment, and Islanders fans now have a new game-day option when the schedules line up. On days when a home game overlaps with live racing, ticket holders can use a promotion linked in the teams game-day email to claim free general admission to the track, adding a little extra to an already busy outing around the arena.
It is a neat perk for anyone looking to make a full day of it around Elmont, even if the logistics still matter. The admission itself is covered through the offer, but parking is not included and has to be paid for separately, so fans will still need to plan ahead if they want to take advantage of both events. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Face A Brutal Road Test With One Lineup Question Looming
The Islanders wrapped up practice at Northwell Health Ice Center with a long trip looming, a three-game Western Conference swing that begins in Dallas and asks plenty of a team still sorting out its forward mix. Pete DeBoer said Mathew Barzal, Cal Ritchie and Matias Maccelli will not travel, leaving New York to lean on the players available as it heads into one of the tougher stretches of the schedule.
Brayden Schenn has already slid back to center after Ritchies injury and has looked comfortable there alongside Emil Heineman and Victor Eklund, which gives the Islanders at least one line that seems to be settling in. The bigger question is how long they can keep that structure intact, especially with Ritchie sidelined by a lower-body injury and the lineup still feeling a little too fluid for comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Islanders Still Have Unfinished Business With Rantanen After Roy's Exit
Mikko Rantanens hit from behind on Alexander Romanov last season remains one of those moments that still lingers around the Islanders, especially because of how forcefully Patrick Roy reacted in the aftermath. Roy is no longer behind the bench, but the memory of that sequence has hardly faded for a team that took the incident personally and has had to carry the consequences ever since.
Romanov is now sidelined again, this time with a torn ACL, and the Islanders are heading toward their next meeting with the Stars without both the defenseman and the coach who made his feelings so clear. Even with the personnel changes, the game still carries a little edge for New York, which will be looking for a response that shows the group can absorb another setback and keep moving. [Read more 🡒]