Sammi’s Wrap: What Zegras Said To Stecher, Capitals News & Updates

It was an intense weekend for the Washington Capitals and the rest of the NHL.

A promising Thursday showing for Washington and a strong Saturday practice was followed by a lackluster road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. Meanwhile, Zegras is under fire and facing controversy following comments made to Troy Stecher in Saturday's game between the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes.

Here's a recap of an action-packed weekend, including some Capitals content, a look around the league and more:

Washington Capitals

– An inside look at Evgeny Kuznetsov's slo-mo shootout moves and what it's like for No. 92, his teammates and goaltenders. (WHN)

– John Carlson skated for the first time since taking a slap shot to the face, and head coach Peter Laviolette provided an update as No. 74 begins "low-level exercise" but "looks like himself" as he begins the long road back. (WHN)

– Plus, a Tom Wilson injury update, as he has not skated but has been around the facility since blocking a Brad Hunt slapshot with his right leg. (WHN)

– In sportsmanship news, Alex Ovechkin and Kris Letang shared a hug and nice moment as Ovechkin checked on Letang following his second stroke and the death of his father ahead of the Capitals' tilt against the Penguins. (WHN)

– A closer look at Charlie Lindgren's Stadium Series setup, a 1-on-1 about the design and the meaningful inspiration behind it. (WHN)

– Speaking of Lindgren, here's more on how he and T.J. Oshie became fast friends and formed a tight bond thanks to their big personalities and Minnesota roots. (WHN)

– Sunday's loss to the Maple Leafs raises some concerns for Washington going down the stretch as the NHL playoff race gets tighter. (WHN)

NHL

– A huge save from former Capitals netminder Semyon Varlamov set the tone for a huge overtime win for the Islanders, who continue to fight for their shot at the postseason. New York Islanders (NYIHN)

– "Very inappropriate comments" from Zegras set off Stecher on Saturday. (Yahoo! Sports)

– Another team struggling in the playoff push: the Penguins, as the team's leaders are far from impressed with recent play. Pittsburgh Penguins. (PHN)

– Cole Caufield discussed his injury, timeline and how he would've played through injury if a playoff spot was on the line. Montreal Canadiens (MHN)

Top Shelf Takes

– Per PHNX Sports' Craig Morgan, Zegras did not make comments to Stecher regarding his late father. However, the comments "crossed the line" and were inappropriate, and that was evident from not just Stecher's reaction and Zegras' subsequent misconduct but the look on Ducks teammates Adam Henrique and Mason McTavish's faces.

– Despite the results lately, Washington has to feel better about Nicklas Backstrom. He finally found twine on Sunday, was the shootout hero on Tursday, has four points in his last six outings and has been getting more comfortable in each game. Good to see No. 19 back.

– Then, there's Wilson, who's dealing with an injury to the opposite leg that he's been rehabilitating for nearly eight months. On Saturday, Wilson was spotted without a boot, but he did have a slight hitch in his step.

– Things are still month-to-month on the Carlson front, as a return is still "off in the distance." Still, seeing him skating and in high spirits was a relief.

– With roughly five seconds left in a 2-0 loss, Hershey Bears fans still made the most of the Teddy Bear toss and threw 67,309 bears on the ice, a new world record. Players of course had fun with it despite the result as the game ended early. And Vincent Iorio had a message afterward: