Tomas Vokoun attempted to skate today, but he came off the ice after stretching. He’s been dealing with a nagging groin injury for weeks.
“It wasn’t good enough, but it’s better,” the Caps' top goalie said after Monday’s morning skate at Joe Louis Arena. “I came back a little too early before. We just want to make sure I don’t make it worse.”
After backing up Michal Neuvirth against Toronto and the New York Islanders, Vokoun aggravated the muscle strain on Friday in Winnipeg.
“I kind of irritated it” against the Jets, he said. “It didn’t happen last game. But with our job description, there’s a lot of pressure on that [muscle]. I just want to make sure I don’t take one step forward and three back.”
With Vokoun out, that means tonight’s starter will be either Neuvirth, Sunday night’s goalie in Chicago, or Braden Holtby, who was recalled from the minors Saturday. Neuvirth came to the arena this morning but did not skate; Holtby practiced with goalie coach Olie Kolzig.
More on the Capitals:
— A very optional morning skate in Detroit
— Caps offer little resistance, get help in Winnipeg
— What’s to blame for Caps’ lack of power plays?
