Hurricanes vs. Capitals Tuesday NHL injury report, pick: Odds shift with Alex Ovechkin set to miss second game of season

While NHL lines will move daily depending on which goaltenders start, few skaters around the league will force a fairly significant odds change when they miss a game. That is the case tonight, though, as the Washington Capitals went from +125 home underdogs at Caesars Sportsbook to +145 against the Carolina Hurricanes because superstar Alex Ovechkin is out. The total dropped from 6 goals to 5.5. 

Ovechkin, who leads the team with 32 goals (10 on the power play), 54 points and 227 shots on goal (among the league leaders as usual) is tending to a family matter. General manager Brian MacLellan announced Ovechkin's absence before the team's morning skate and no further details were released. A member of Ovechkin's family is dealing with a health issue. His parents and some other family members live in Russia, so Ovechkin might not play for a while if he's heading there. Travel restrictions in place due to Russia's war in Ukraine have stopped all direct flights between North America and Moscow.

The Capitals host Florida on Thursday and then visit Carolina on Saturday for the 2023 NHL Stadium Series matchup at Carter-Finley Stadium (home of NC State football) to close out this week. The incredibly durable Ovechkin has missed just one game this season, a 6-2 loss against the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 22, due to a lower-body injury. The Capitals have a 23-21-4 record without Ovechkin since he joined the team.

Joe Snively was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League to take Ovechkin's roster spot. The forward has one assist in six games for the Capitals this season. Washington is also listing forwards Anthony Mantha and Tom Wilson as questionable tonight. The Caps have accrued 320 man-games lost to injury thus far this season, the second highest total in the NHL.

Darcy Kuemper will be in net. He was great Saturday in an upset of the NHL-best Bruins with 27 saves in a 2-1 win. The Capitals have scored two or fewer goals in nine of their last 14 games, and they've only won three of their last nine (3-4-2) home games.

Carolina had a seven-game winning streak end Saturday in its first game out of the All-Star break, a 6-2 home loss to the Rangers. The Hurricanes have won their past four on the road. It should be Frederik Andersen in net for Carolina despite his stuggles against New York, allowing four third-period goals. Sebastian Aho had his six-game goal streak snapped, Brent Burns had his seven-game point streak end and the Hurricanes had their 10-game point streak come to a close in Saturday's loss.

The Hurricanes lead the season series with Washington 1-0, winning 3-2 in a shootout at home on Halloween. Andrei Svechnikov scored the winning goal after tying the game in the second period. Ovechkin had one of the Capitals' goals.

NHL pick: Hurricanes -165

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