Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov participated in the team’s optional skate Friday and will likely be a game-time decision for Saturday’s Game 3.
Kuznetsov has not received medical clearance, so he wasn’t made available to reporters. But he handled the puck and skated with his teammates.
The 26-year-old is dealing with an upper-body injury after taking a hard hit from Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb in Game 2. The hit occurred in the first period and Kuznetsov, who grabbed his left arm after getting slammed into the glass, did not return.
“Kuzy is one of our most important players,” said center Lars Eller.