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Backstrom skates today, if only briefly

Nicklas Backstrom

Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19), of Sweden, celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

AP

CSNWashington.com’s Chuck Gormley reports that Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom took a quick five-minute skate today. No word yet on how he felt on the ice.

Backstrom has been out with a concussion since getting elbowed in the head by Rene Bourque on Jan. 3.

Gormley speculates that Backstrom could be back a few games after the All-Star break, but nobody can say for sure. Washington is 4-4-1 since losing its leading scorer and hasn’t scored more than four goals in a game once.

The Caps sit eighth in the Eastern Conference, just two points ahead of ninth-place Toronto. Tuesday they host Boston at the Verizon Center, where they could also be without Alex Ovechkin, pending a disciplinarian hearing with the NHL.