Nicklas Backstrom will no longer play for the Washington Capitals against the Recent York Islanders in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Friday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, FX-CA, TVAS, NBCSWA, MSG, MSG+).
Capitals coach Todd Reirden stated Backstrom is in concussion protocol after being injured on worthwhile by Islanders forward Anders Lee 2: 33 into the necessary length of Game 1, a 4-2 loss. Lee got an interference penalty on the play.
Backstrom did no longer miss a shift over the the leisure of the necessary length, nonetheless the center did no longer play after the necessary intermission.
Backstrom was once third on the Capitals with 54 functions (12 dreams, 42 assists) in 61 video games for the length of the phenomenal season. He had one support in Washington’s three video games in the round-robin portion of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
“Obviously, Reduce is a ample leader for us,” Reirden stated. “His body of labor as a player speaks for itself. However that is next man up. Who’s going to resolve motivate of that chance? That’s playoff hockey. Worthwhile hockey for the length of the phenomenal season is having guys that are in a depth field resolve motivate of it. In most cases which it’s essential to maybe need gamers that roles are elevated for the length of the sport.
“That’s what we’re challenged with and we’ll be ready for that the next day to come.”
Center Lars Eller will return to the Capitals lineup and switch as much as interchange Backstrom on the second line. Eller sat out Game 1 after returning to Washington following the beginning of his son, Alexander, on Aug. 4. Upon returning to Toronto, he was once required to quarantine in his hotel room for four days.
Though Eller’s quarantine ended Wednesday morning, the Capitals opted to preserve him out of Game 1 because he had no longer skated in a week.
“That was once a option so to position Lars in the most attention-grabbing field to be triumphant and that was once to no longer absorb him taking part in till Friday,” Reirden stated.
Eller, who furthermore left out Washington’s final two round-robin video games in the Qualifiers, participated in the Capitals non-compulsory practice Thursday. He had an NHL profession-excessive 39 functions (16 dreams, 23 assists) in 69 video games for the length of the phenomenal season.
Eller, who seemingly will play on a line with Jakub Vrana and T.J. Oshie, has a history of elevating his play when Backstrom or Evgeny Kuznetsov has been unable to play. He has 17 functions (two dreams, 15 assists) in 26 video games over the previous four seasons when either of the two centers has been out of the lineup.
“I esteem when these challenges happen because I specialize in I accomplish no longer alternate the method I dangle the sport or the method I prepare myself,” Eller stated. “This could maybe presumably customarily suggest I could be taking part in more minutes doubtlessly than I in every other case would. My mentality is an identical, making an strive to switch available and play a solid two-method sport and function offense in every shift.”
When Backstrom fractured his lawful index finger blocking a shot against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the 2018 Eastern Conference 2nd Round, Eller moved as much as play center on the second line and scored 5 functions (two dreams, three assists) in the four video games Backstrom left out.
When Kuznetsov left out the necessary three video games of this season thanks to a suspension, Eller had three assists to abet Washington originate up 2-0-1. When Backstrom left out eight video games from Nov. 20-Dec. 6 thanks to an upper-body hurt, Eller scored four functions (one intention, three assists) and the Capitals went 6-1-1.
“Lars has achieved an incredible job when undoubtedly such a high two centermen is down,” Capitals forward Tom Wilson stated. “He’s achieved an incredible job filling in and selecting up some slack. That’s why it be good to absorb depth at the center field. …. Guys purchased to step up and attain collectively as a community and rally for every other, rally for a man devour Reduce and hopefully acquire the job achieved.”
Eller went to huge lengths to attenuate the time he was once required to quarantine, chartering a plane to resolve him home and motivate to Toronto. To preserve a ways off from risking publicity to COVID-19, Eller did no longer plug to the scientific institution when Alexander was once born. He spent two and a half days at home with his wife Julie, daughter Sofia and Alexander sooner than returning to Toronto and foundation his quarantine on Saturday.
“I customarily gave up being at the beginning,” Eller stated. “That was once the most attention-grabbing technique to switch round (a longer quarantine), no longer being at the scientific institution. I would absorb had to wait on method more than four days of quarantine. I accomplish no longer know if it was once going to be seven or eight or nine days or 10 or two weeks. … So as that was once a sacrifice I made, nonetheless I restful purchased a whereas with my family.”
