It’s “entirely likely” the Capitals won’t have goalie Tomas Vokoun should they make the playoffs, CSNWashington.com’s Chuck Gormley is reporting.
Gormley writes that “the groin injury suffered by Vokoun in Thursday night’s 3-2 shootout win over the Boston Bruins is worse than the one that sidelined him six straight games,” thus the likelihood the Caps will have to rely on 24-year-old Michal Neuvirth and, if not Neuvirth, rookie Braden Holtby for the postseason.
Save for a poor October, Vokoun had played very well for the Caps, so this is a considerable blow to their playoff hopes. Neuvirth’s coming off a strong performance in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout victory over Montreal, but his overall numbers (2.85 GAA, .902 SV%) are mediocre.
Suffice to say if Washington qualifies for the postseason and meets Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers in the first round, the goaltending matchup will be decidedly in New York’s favor.
Vokoun, 35, is a pending unrestricted free agent, so he might also have played his last game in a Caps uniform.