Seven starters out tonight
The NHL’s schedule is a relentless march, grinding players down night after night.
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Injuries may be a legitimate excuse. But while the Capitals have suffered more than their fair share early this season, the schedule simply doesn’t care. Just recall another player from the minors because there is a game coming soon.
So it is for the Caps tonight against the Florida Panthers at Verizon Center. Washington will be without seven starters who were on the Opening Night roster. Another — center Boyd Gordon (back spasms) — is questionable and rookie defenseman Karl Alzner, a call-up from AHL affiliate Hershey just last week, will play despite suffering an upper-body injury during Saturday’s 3-0 loss to Columbus.
There is no rest for the weary, however. The Florida game is the first of four in six days for the depleted Caps (13-8-3, 29 points), who are in first place in the Southeast Division.
“Every day you’re changing,” Caps coach Bruce Boudreau told reporters after Monday’s practice. “You’re trying to figure out what kind of strategy we want to use against Florida. And that will determine who we call up [from Hershey].”
Four of the Caps six starting defensemen are hurt — Tom Poti (groin), John Erskine (concussion), Jeff Schultz (broken finger) and Mike Green (shoulder). That leaves five players on the blueline who began the year at Hershey. At least one forward was expected to be recalled late last night — possibly Chris Bourque, who played three games in Washington last week before being sent back to Hershey on Sunday.
The Panthers (9-11-3, 21 points) are in third place in the Southeast and have earned points in their last four games, including a 4-0 shutout at the New York Rangers on Sunday.
