Mike Knuble News

Just as Alex Ovechkin is about to return, Mike Knuble breaks a finger and will be sidelined three to four weeks.

While Alex Ovechkin still can't say exactly when he'll return to the Washington Capitals' lineup, this much is no longer up for debate: The franchise winger will be back soon.

Ovechkin practiced with his teammates Thursday for the first time since suffering a left shoulder strain on Nov. 1 and did not look encumbered at all by the injury.

He raced up and down the ice, swinging his arms comfortably and carrying his stick in his left hand. He effortlessly zipped passes across the ice to teammates in drills. And, most important, Ovechkin fully wound up on slap shots, sending pucks pinging off goal posts and crackling off the glass behind the net.

1, Washington figured to experience a dropoff in offense. After a 3-2 loss at New Jersey in their first game without Ovechkin, the Capitals scored 11 goals in a home-and-home sweep of Florida, capped with a 7-4 home victory Saturday.

The Washington Capitals will try for a third straight victory without superstar Alex Ovechkin when they host the New York Islanders tonight at Verizon Center.

Ryan Potulny scored his first goal in an Edmonton uniform and added an assist as the Oilers downed Colorado on Sunday.

Mike Knuble, left, of the Washington Capitals, celebrates with his teammates after scoring against the Florida Panthers during Saturday night's game.

SUNRISE, FLA. -- Alex Ovechkin was one of the first Washington Capitals on the ice for practice at BankAtlantic Center and was wearing his full complement of equipment and carrying his stick.

It took only a few minutes for the two-time MVP to realize that he's not quite ready to return to the lineup.

After tapping a teammate's pass into an empty net, Ovechkin, who was practicing for the first time since suffering a strain near his left shoulder Sunday, jokingly began to celebrate. But he couldn't raise his arms much above his chest, and moments later, he put his stick on the bench.

The Washington Capitals are going to struggle to win games without Alex Ovechkin if they continue to end up with more penalties in the offensive zone than goals.

By Michael Hoffman for WMAL and Washington Capitals Examiner The Capitals suffered a very disheartening 5-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets as a gritty effort from Brooks Laich who had 2 goals and Quintin Laing who gave the Capitals a 4-3 lead late in the 3rd was lost in the shuffle thanks to a Columbus team that just would not give up.

In a city consumed with a national health-care debate, the Blue Jackets and Capitals limped out of the Verizon Center tonight after more than a few visits to their respective trainer's rooms.

The Washington Capitals suffered their second straight overtime defeat Sunday, this one a 5-4 decision against the Columbus Blue Jackets. But it was the loss they suffered early in the second period that might prove to be much more significant.

Alex Ovechkin was hurt during a scrum and missed the final 33 minutes 50 seconds of the game. Ovechkin said afterward that he had suffered an upper-body injury and that he was day-to-day.

The two-time MVP refused to say how the injury occurred or where he was hurting. And when asked if he feared the injury to be serious, he said, 'I don't know.'

After missing two games because of illness and injury, Washington Capitals winger Alexander Semin returned to practice Monday and was promptly put back in the place where he feels most comfortable: on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Coach Bruce Boudreau wouldn't say which line Semin will end up on when the Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, but he didn't rule out reuniting his top offensive forwards for the first time since the fifth game of the season. Semin scored five of his six goals in Washington's first four games.

It was another one of those games again, the games that are driving Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau slowly crazy.A On the road, the Caps came out against a wounded Atlanta Thrashers squad and dominated through about 35 minutes.

Alex Ovechkin scored twice and added an assist, as the Washington Capitals claimed a 4-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena.

By Michael Hoffman for Washington Capitals Examiner and WMAL. For a photo gallery and more from this game, click here .

The Washington Capitals have assigned center Michael Nylander to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL on a conditioning stint.

Fantasy Forecast for Thursday, October 22 WEDNESDAY'S ROUNDUP: The Washington Capitals' Web site confirms that star winger Alexander Semin will not play on Thursday at Atlanta because of an illness.

Jeff Schultz tallied three points and scored the go-ahead goal on an odd bounce, and the Washington Capitals used three scores in an 88-second span during the second period to defeat the Atlanta Thrashers, 5-4, at Philips Arena.

For the first time since opening night against Boston, the Washington Capitals played a full 60-minute hockey game on Thursday night.

Alex Ovechkin provided all of Washington's offense in the first 65 minutes of Saturday's game.