Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin was forced to leave Monday’s game against Utah HC after sustaining what appeared to be a lower-body injury in the third period. The incident occurred with 14:30 remaining in the game when Jack McBain made contact with Ovechkin’s leg during a play across the Capitals’ zone. The collision sent Ovechkin to the ice in visible discomfort, though no penalty was assessed as the contact was deemed incidental.
Ovechkin, who had scored twice earlier in the game, was assisted off the ice by defenseman Jakob Chychrun and head athletic trainer Jason Serbus. He briefly remained on the Capitals’ bench before heading to the locker room after skating a short lap during a game break. Television cameras captured Ovechkin limping as he made his way down the tunnel.
In response to the hit, Washington forward Tom Wilson, one of the team’s alternate captains, engaged McBain in a fight later in the period.
The 39-year-old Ovechkin, currently leading the NHL with 15 goals, is coming off a hat trick performance against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday. He is just 26 goals away from tying Wayne Gretzky for the league’s all-time goals record. Known for his durability, Ovechkin has missed only 59 games in his career, with 35 of those due to injury.
Following the game, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery provided few updates on Ovechkin’s condition, stating, “He’s being evaluated as we speak, and we’ll know more tomorrow.”
Washington is scheduled for a day off on Tuesday as they travel home after their west coast road trip. The team will practice on Wednesday and will host the Colorado Avalanche at Capital One Arena on Thursday night.