NHL News

Capitals’ Nicklas Backstrom Will Miss Game 2

Nicklas Backstrom will miss Game 2 versus the Islanders after a nasty hit from Anders Lee.

by
NHL Trade Talk
August 13, 2020

It has been announced that Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom won’t play in Game 2 versus the New York Islanders. The team announced that he’ll miss the second game of a best-of-seven series as head coach Todd Reirden told reporters Thursday that Backstrom is “in protocol.”

Backstrom was hit hard by Islanders forward Anders Lee in the first period of Wednesday’s series opener. He managed to stay in the game and play the rest of the period but he did not return for the second and third frames and is being kept out of the lineup to assess the possible injuries he may have suffered.

#Capitals Brooks Orpik was suspended by #NHL for late hit on Olli Maatta in 2016, this Anders Lee late hit should fall under same category at 1.1 seconds late on unsuspecting Backstrom…?? pic.twitter.com/BswiIP9tIB
— Alan May (@MayHockeyNBCS) August 12, 2020

After the hit, Capitals’ players, John Carlson and Tom Wilson came to Backstrom’s defense. Lee received an interference penalty for the hit, two minutes for roughing as well as a five-minute fight major for his tilt with Wilson.

“I tried to throw the brakes on a little bit there, but I caught him,” said Lee, who later had to answer for his hit by taking a beating. “The end result after that was a penalty, a couple of fights. It was settled and then the game continued on.”

The NHL Department of Player Safety did not feel the hit warranted supplemental discipline.

Tom Wilson lays into Anders Lee for his hit on Nicklas Backstrom pic.twitter.com/DSTmBkVfd0
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) August 12, 2020

The Islanders are up 1-0 in the series after a 4-2 victory. Game 2 takes place Friday night at 8 p.m. ET. Fans will be eagerly watching to see if more rough stuff takes place.

It can be argued that hit was the catalyst that took the Caps from a 2-0 lead yesterday to allowing four consecutive Islanders goals that cost them the game.

Reaction to the hit after the game and today on social media suggests not everyone agrees with the NHL not take a further look at the hit. The Capitals weren’t pleased as Reirden call the hit “late” and “predatory.” T.J. Oshie and Carlson described it as “dirty.”