NHL Buzz: Ovechkin travels with Capitals on road trip

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Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin traveled with the Capitals for their two-game road trip and participated in the morning skate in a noncontact jersey ahead of their 3-1 loss at the Dallas Stars on Monday.

The forward and Washington captain skated with his teammates on Saturday in a noncontact jersey for the first time since fracturing his left fibula against the Utah Hockey Club on Nov. 18. He had been skating on his own before practices prior to that.

The Capitals announced Nov. 21 that Ovechkin would be out 4-6 weeks.

“So, now he’s back integrated with the group, he’s on the road,” coach Spencer Carbery said after the morning skate Monday. “So, the next step would be him taking off that noncontact jersey and practicing full, which should get him into contact drills.”

The Capitals’ two-game road trip concludes at the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, when Ovechkin is expected to skate again in the morning. The team is off Wednesday and will practice Thursday.

Washington (21-7-2) has gone 8-3-1 in the 12 games without Ovechkin.

Florida Panthers

Aleksander Barkov did not play for the Panthers in a 6-5 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday because of an illness.

The center and Florida captain did not participate an optional morning skate after missing a 3-0 loss at the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

"I think we left Anton Lundell in a hotel in Seattle for a week last year, I think ‘Barky’ had pneumonia for a month. So, we’re going to be careful with these," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

“Guys will play through anything, but sometimes it’s just not the smartest thing to do."

Barkov is third on the Panthers (19-11-2) with 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 22 games this season.

“He’s the best two-way player in hockey, so obviously we could use him in a game like this,” Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk said. “But when you have guys in, guys out, you’ve got to find a way. We’ve lost two in a row, so we’ve got to find a way to get out of this sooner rather than later. It doesn’t matter who’s in or who’s out.

“But he’s such a talented player and we’re so lucky to have him. Ever since I’ve been here, he just seems to keep getting better and better, and people still don’t seem to know about it too much. It’s crazy. I don’t get it, but I’m super lucky to play with him. So, hopefully we can get him back here soon.” -- Gerry Moddejonge

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marcus Pettersson is week to week with a lower-body injury.

The defenseman did not practice Monday after being injured in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, taking a hit and falling into the boards.

“He’s a tough guy to replace on our group of D back there,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s a stabilizing defenseman no matter what pair we put him with.

“He just has a real conscientious game on both sides of the puck. He helps us. So, it’s going to provide opportunities for others to step in and fill roles.”

Pettersson has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 32 games this season while averaging 21:47 of ice time.

The Penguins (13-14-5) host the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNW, SN-PIT, SNP, SNO, SNE).

Matt Grzelcyk replaced Pettersson on a defense pair with Erik Karlsson at practice.

“I think if we can move the puck together and use each other well, I think we can have some success on the breakout,” Grzelcyk said. “It’s just about being good off the rush and not allowing teams to kind of set up in our own end.” -- Wes Crosby

Buffalo Sabres

Devon Levi was returned to Rochester of the American Hockey League on Monday.

The 22-year-old goalie was recalled by the Sabres on Sunday and made 36 saves in a 5-3 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs, his first NHL game since Nov. 16. He was sent to the AHL two days later.

Levi is 2-6-0 with a 3.97 goals-against average and .876 save percentage in eight NHL games (seven starts) this season and 7-1-1 with two shutouts, a 2.08 GAA and .916 save percentage in nine games with Rochester.

Buffalo (11-16-4) has lost 10 in a row (0-7-3).

Chicago Blackhawks

Petr Mrazek is progressing from a left groin injury and was expected to skate Monday, Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen said.

The goalie sustained the injury during a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 7. Mrazek fell awkwardly at 10:46 of the first period and immediately skated to the locker room. He was given a timeline of 1-2 weeks the day after the injury.

Mrazek, 32, is 7-11-1 with a 2.83 GAA and .906 save percentage in 20 starts this season.

Sorensen said defenseman Seth Jones skated briefly Saturday and again Sunday before Chicago’s 5-3 win against the New York Islanders. Jones has been out since Nov. 14, when he injured his right foot in Chicago’s 3-1 loss at the Seattle Kraken.

The Blackhawks announced Nov. 20 that Jones would be out four weeks. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 17 games.

“It’s going to be a little bit longer here, but he’s on the ice,” Sorensen said. “So, that’s a positive.” -- Tracey Myers

Toronto Maple Leafs

Anthony Stolarz (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Sunday retroactive to Dec. 12.

The goalie will miss his fourth straight game when the Maple Leafs visit the Stars on Wednesday. Stolarz was injured in the first period of a 3-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday and was replaced by Joseph Woll to start the second period.

"We'll get an update on it in a couple days,” coach Craig Berube said before a 5-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. “I'm not really going to comment on that right now."

Goalie Dennis Hildeby, who was recalled from Toronto of the AHL on Friday, made 24 saves against the Sabres after he backed up Woll in a 4-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Stolarz, who is in his first season with the Maple Leafs after signing a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent July 1, is 9-5-2 with a 2.15 GAA and .927 save percentage with one shutout in 17 games. -- Dave McCarthy