But it really was Ovechkin, trying to keep his legs in shape as he took a leave of absence from the Caps and returned home to Moscow to be with his ailing maternal grandfather.

Ovechkin was back at practice Monday afternoon at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. His presence lightened the dressing room mood considerably just 24 hours after a canceled day off and a grueling practice conducted by Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. That was in response to an ugly 5-0 loss at Buffalo on Saturday night.

“When you have somebody for 203 straight games, and then you miss somebody of [Ovechkin’s] stature, when he comes back it’s like your big brother’s back,” Boudreau said. “You’re happy to see him. And you’re happy to see him smiling again.”

Ovechkin was buoyant on Monday. His 83-year-old grandfather was still in the hospital, but had made it through the week. In Ovechkin’s absence, the Caps (5-4-1) beat Nashville, but then struggled against the Sabres, trailing 3-0 after the first period. Ovechkin, who led the NHL with 65 goals last season, has two in eight games this year.

“It’s always great when your people give you so much trust,” said Ovechkin, granted permission by Caps general manager George McPhee to travel home Oct. 26. “I think it shows you how good people [they are] here – how they love me, how they respect me and how they respect my family.”

Boudreau’s line combinations were jumbled on Monday thanks in part to missing defenseman John Erskine (calf), who is questionable for tonight’s game at Ottawa (4-5-2). If Erskine can’t play, center Sergei Fedorov shifts to the blueline.

Defenseman Shaone Morrisonn said he expects to play just three days after a CT scan, EKG and blood tests showed no lingering internal damage from a hard shot to his side during the first period of the Buffalo game. Morrisonn began coughing up blood after the first intermission and was taken to a local hospital.

The Caps face an Ottawa team that seems to have righted itself after an 2-5-1 start. The Senators have earned five points over their last three games. And they won’t lack for motivation, either, against a Caps team that swept all four games last season. Ovechkin especially has tortured Ottawa. He scored four goals last Dec. 29 at Corel Center and has nine goals and eight assists in his last eight games against the Senators.

“It was last year. We’ll see what happens this year,” Ovechkin said. “Ottawa is a pretty good team — good offensive and defensive. But we can beat good teams and we can lose to bad teams.”

Caps notes

» Caps right wing Alexander Semin was named the NHL’s First Star of the Month for October. The 24-year-old registered a league-best 16 points, including eight goals. He is the sixth Caps player to earn the award since it’s inception in 1980. Teammate Alex Ovechkin has won it three times, including twice last season.

» The Caps are expected to start Brent Johnson in goal against Ottawa. He is 4-1 lifetime against the Senators with a .941 save percentage and a 1.89 goals against average.

» After returning to Washington on Sunday, Ovechkin began receiving condolence calls from friends who had read a Russian media report that his grandfather had died.

“Can you imagine the situation? I go home, I saw him my last day. And my friends call me and say, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry your grandpa died.’

When asked where the report originated, Ovechkin could only guess: “Some idiot,” he said.

» The lines may not hold for the Ottawa game depending on the health of John Erskine and the domino affect that will ensue if he can play tonight and Sergei Fedorov moves back to center. But Caps captain Chris Clark skated on the fourth line at practice with Donald Brashear and Boyd Gordon. Clark played in a career-low 18 games last season because of a serious groin injury and an earlier ear laceration. He has no goals and one assist in 10 games so far.

“You don’t need to send [Clark] a message. Because his will and his want is always there,” head coach Bruce Boudreau said. “Sometimes going out there the job isn’t getting done as well as you’d like it. If I’m going to send a message to anybody I’m going to go up and talk to them rather than a subtle innuendo like a different colored jersey and then hoping they’re thinking the exact same thoughts that I’m thinking.”

» One day after canceling a scheduled day off thanks to Saturday’s putrid performance in Buffalo, Boudreau was in a better frame of mind — sort of.

“I’m still in a pissy mood,” Boudreau said. “But you don’t get in a good mood unless you’re playing well. That’s just the nature of the beast.”

Game night


Capitals at Senators

WHEN » Tonight, 7:30

WHERE » Corel Center

TV » CSN

RADIO » 1500 AM