Ilya Samsonov News

Samsonov missed the last eight games on the COVID-19 reserve list but was back on the ice for Monday's practice and should be available on Tuesday. Samsonov may not start, as the Capitals will likely want him to get a couple of practices under his belt before he returns to the crease.

Samsonov was among four Capitals added to the COVID-19 protocol list on Wednesday after it was determined they were in a hotel room together during the team's recent road trip. "Right now the players are in quarantine and, at this point, I believe it's four games and then under review and so we'll go from there," head coach Peter Laviolette said. With Samsonov out, Vitek Vanecek is expected to take over as the Capitals' No.1 and Craig Anderson was promoted to be the backup.

With Braden Holtby leaving Washington to sign with Vancouver and Henrik Lundqvist forcing to miss the season due to heart complications, Samsonov should be a workhorse for the Capitals this season. In his rookie campaign, he was 16-6-2 with a 2.55 GAA and .913 SV%. Of his 26 games, 14 came on the road, where he was 10-2-1 with a 2.55 GAA and .911 SV%.

Samsonov did not travel to Toronto and will remain in Washington to undergo treatment. The Capitals expect Samsonov to be healthy for the 2020-21 season, which means Braden Holtby is now their unquestioned starter heading into the playoffs. Pheonix Copley and Vitek Vanecek will battle it out for the backup position.

Samsonov allowed two goals on 31 shots in the Capitals loss in Winnipeg last Thursday. After not losing a game in January, Samsonov did not win a game in February, going 0-4-0 with a 3.86 GAA and .877 SV%. Tonight he faces a Rangers team that has gone 4-7-0 with 2.64 goals per game in their last 11 games at MSG.

Samsonov allowed three goals on 29 shots in the Capitals win in New Jersey on Saturday. Braden Holtby started the last two games but Samsonov will start the second game of their home-and-home with the Jets. Samsonov has gone 0-3-0 with an ugly 4.55 GAA and .855 SV% in his last four outings (three starts). It is the ugliest stretch of his season but he'll face a Winnipeg team that is also on a three-game losing skid.

Samsonov missed last Tuesday's game vs. the Kings and served as Braden Holtby's backup on Saturday. With Holtby having a rough outing vs. the Flyers, the Capitals will come back to Samsonov tonight vs. the Islanders. Samsonov is 7-1-0 with a 1.86 GAA and .937 SV% in his last nine outings (seven starts) and has stopped 32 of the 33 shots that he's faced (.970 SV%) in four periods vs. the Islanders this season.

Samsonov took an Alex Ovechkin shot up-high and was forced to leave today's game-day skate. Braden Holtby was already in-line to get the start anyways but now Samsonov may not be available to backup. Vitek Vanecek will be recalled to backup just in case Samsonov isn't 100 percent.

Samsonov stopped all seven shots that he faced after replacing Braden Holtby in the Capitals' come-from-behind win over the Islanders on January 18th. Holtby ended up starting the last two games, but Samsonov draws a terrific matchup tonight in Ottawa. He stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 6-1 win in his first start vs. the Senators.

Samsonov stopped all seven shots that he faced after replacing Braden Holtby in the Capitals' come-from-behind win over the Islanders on January 18th. Holtby ended up starting the last two games, but Samsonov draws a terrific matchup tonight in Ottawa. He stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 6-1 win in his first start vs. the Senators.