The Washington Capitals' attempt to jump back into the top eight into the Eastern Conference Wednesday will take place without their captain and leading scorer, Alex Ovechkin.
The Washington Capitals announced Ovechkin will miss tonight's game against the Ottawa Senators due to a lower-body injury.
Ovechkin was on the ice for about eight minutes during the team's morning skate, with coach Dale Hunter revealing the injury after the full team practice.
Ovechkin likely suffered the injury during Monday's 5-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, which saw Ovechkin play just 15:43, including just five shifts in the third period. The team announced after the game that Ovechkin played so little -- it was the second-lowest ice time he's had this season -- due to an equipment issue.
However, Ovechkin was seen by reporters limping after the game, and he sat out Tuesday's practice.
The Capitals had recalled forward Keith Aucoin from AHL Hershey earlier Wednesday.
The Caps, who have won just three of their last 10 games, enter Wednesday's game 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points behind eighth-place Toronto, which hosts San Jose tonight. A win and regulation losses by Leafs and the ninth-place Winnipeg Jets, who host the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight, would move the Caps into eighth place.
Contact Adam Kimelman at akimelman@nhl.com. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK
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Ovechkin out for Caps tonight
Wednesday, 02.22.2012 / 5:30 PM
By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor / At the Rink blog
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