Washington Capital Karl Alzner has been ruled out for tonight’s game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an upper-body injury, per the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan. Meanwhile, Toronto will regain the services of Nikita Zaitsev on their blueline, per Pierre LeBrun.
Toronto was in desperate need of a warm body in their top-four, as Roman Polak’s agonizing injury left a noticeable void. Martin Marincin has performed quite well in Polak and Zaitsev’s absences, but the 25 year-old will now be able to have his time against top competition scaled back. Zaitsev’s addition has been an absolute boon for the team, as his offensive prowess has consistently fed the young forward core quick outlets and opportunities. The Russian has done nothing but impress since the World Cup tournament, and GM Brendan Shanahan should be lauded for his willingness to take a risk on his contract.
Washington was shocked by a double-overtime winner from the hands of Kasperi Kapanen in Game 2. As they try to re-assert their dominance in the series, this is certainly not news Caps fans were hoping for. The twenty-eight year-old hasn’t missed a game for the Capitals since 2010, with a remarkable iron-man streak to his credit. The defenseman logged over twenty minutes a night on the top pair. The nifty-skating Nate Schmidt will take his place on the blueline. He played 53 games this season before returns from injury and the addition of Kevin Shattenkirk sent him to the press box. The 24 year-old already has 10 playoff games to his credit, and his advanced stats were quite good, with a 53.1 Corsi For %. By contrast, Alzner posted a 46.3, his worst showing in the department since 2013.
Toronto hopes the energy of their rabid fanbase will help flip this series’ script as they play Washington at home in Game 3.