Capitals center Nic Dowd enters NHL COVID-19 protocols originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Capitals center Nic Dowd entered the NHL's COVID-19 protocols, the team announced on Friday afternoon.
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Dowd missed the Capitals' Friday morning practice due to an undisclosed illness while Garent Hathaway and Carl Hagelin both sat out for maintenance.
The news comes on the back of Dowd playing one of the best games of his season with a goal and an assist for two points in Washington's 4-3 shootout loss to the Blackhawks on Thursday night. He'll be considered day-to-day moving forward unless he tests positive for coronavirus. In that case, Dowd would quarantine the next 10 days and could miss the Caps' four next games.
The Capitals have had center issues all season long with Nicklas Backstrom inching his way back to the ice. Dowd himself has missed eight games due to some nagging lower body injury issues, and Lars Eller entered the COVID-19 protocols just a couple weeks ago.
Dowd has three goals and four assists in 16 games this season. The Caps will look to end their two-game skid when they play Columbus at Capital One Arena at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
