Capitals goalie Logan Thompson day-to-day with lower-body injury

Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson missed practice Wednesday with a lower-body injury and is listed day-to-day, leaving his status for Saturday's home game against Buffalo in question. Read more: Capitals goalie Logan Thompson day-to-day with lower-body injury

Thompson got hurt making a point-blank save on Kings winger Artemi Panarin in the second period of Washington's 5-2 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was slow to get up and spent the rest of the night stretching his left leg, but he stayed in net and finished with 21 saves on 25 shots.

Coach Spencer Carbery played down any long-term worry afterward. "Not (concerned) as of now," he told RMNB's Katie Adler. "I'll talk to Serbs, but nothing right now." Serbus is the team's head athletic trainer.

He has not practiced since.

If Thompson can't go Saturday, Charlie Lindgren takes over as the starter. Mitch Gibson, the only other goalie in the organization on an NHL contract, would likely be recalled from AHL Hershey to back him up. Clay Stevenson, who filled that depth role a month ago, is gone, claimed off waivers by Winnipeg in September.

Thompson is 4-3-0 with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage this season. He won his first three decisions, then just one of his next four. Washington has played seven games this season, and Thompson has started every one of them.

Dubois nears return

Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois missed the last five games with an illness. He was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, shedding the non-contact jersey.

The clearer signal came from a roster move. Washington loaned forward Jonny Brodzinski to AHL Hershey the same day, a transaction that only makes sense if Dubois is about to retake his regular shift Saturday against Buffalo.

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Forward Justin Sourdif, who also missed the games against New Jersey and Los Angeles with an illness, took a smaller step. He skated on his own for the first time Wednesday but remains unsettled for Saturday, a notch behind Dubois in the progression back.

Before he got sick, Sourdif had logged a season-high 16:05 in Washington's win over Montreal. His continued absence costs the lineup real minutes, not just a healthy body.

A light week at home

Buffalo's visit is the only game Washington plays in a stretch of three games across 13 nights. All three are at Capital One Arena, bracketed by off days Thursday and Sunday. The homestand continues through Philadelphia on Oct. 28, a short week built around getting bodies right rather than racking up miles.

Washington has two full days of rest built into the schedule already, time to let Thompson's leg settle and Dubois and Sourdif finish working their way back before any of it actually costs the team a game.

Friday's practice, the last session before puck drop, should offer the clearest picture yet of Saturday's lineup, from the crease to the wings Dubois and Sourdif might rejoin.