Capitals' Ilya Samsonov to make first NHL start since Jan. 17 vs. Devils

Pittsburgh Penguins' Jake Guentzel, left, puts a shot under the glove hand of Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) for a goal during a shootout in an NHL hockey game. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)

Washington Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette has named Ilya Samsonov as the team's starting goaltender for Sunday afternoon's game vs. New Jersey Devils.

This will be Samsonov's first start since Jan. 17 in Washington's 4-3 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Russian netminder was subsequently placed on the NHL's COVID-19 list along with Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov back on Jan. 20.

Samsonov returned to practice in early February before a conditioning stint with the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears on Feb. 14.

Evgeny Kuznetsov also remains out of the lineup and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

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