ARLINGTON, Va. – Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said that he was a healthy scratch Tuesday because he overslept and was late for the team鈥檚 morning skate.
鈥淚 just messed up with my alarm clock,鈥� Ovechkin said after returning to practice Wednesday.聽 鈥淚 put 8:30 p.m., not a.m., so I fall asleep and make mistake.鈥�
Ovechkin met with head coach Barry Trotz shortly after his late arrival to the Kettler Capitals Iceplex and was told that he would not play against the San Jose Sharks.
鈥淚t was an honest mistake,鈥� Trotz said. 鈥淏ut we have certain accountability rules and everyone is accountable in our room.鈥�
That includes the face of the franchise and one of the game鈥檚 greatest scorers.
鈥淐oaching is not about equality but there are certain foundational things,鈥� Trotz said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done a lot of things from a cultural standpoint that makes this team very accountable to each other and that鈥檚 why it鈥檚 very important. It applies to everybody.鈥�
With Ovechkin and injured center Nicklas Backstrom missing the same game for just the fifth time since Oct. 2007, the Capitals fell to San Jose 5-0. It was Washington鈥檚 most lopsided home defeat since a 5-0 whitewash against the Dallas Stars on April 1, 2014.
鈥淚 think the guys know we didn鈥檛 get success because we don鈥檛 have work ethic and we didn鈥檛 manage the puck,鈥� said Ovechkin, who watched the game from the press box.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 create any chances from the start, from D-zone, neutral zone, nothing. We play that game tomorrow; it鈥檚 going to be different game.鈥�
Ovechkin will return to the lineup Thursday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.
Chimera day-to-day with lower-body injury
Forward Jason Chimera was absent from practice Wednesday and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Chimera fell awkwardly into the Sharks’ net midway through the third period and appeared to be favoring his left leg as he skated back to the bench. Chimera took a regular shift after the incident and led the Capitals with six shots on goal.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a good sign,鈥� Trotz said. 鈥淭hat says 鈥榟e鈥檚 hurtin鈥� but he鈥檚 going to stay in the fight.鈥� You鈥檙e hurt but you鈥檙e not broke. That鈥檚 probably where we are [as a team] today. We were hurt last night but we鈥檙e not necessarily broke. We just have to fight through.鈥�
Trotz said that he expects Chimera to play Thursday against Chicago.
