Depending on your perspective, the good news out of Belarus Thursday morning is that Alex Ovechkin is back in the lineup for today’s quarterfinal game between Russia and France in the IIHF World Championships.
Ovechkin, who appeared to suffer a right knee injury on Sunday when he was flipped into the air on a hip check by German forward Markus Kink, was named captain for Russia, which carries a 7-0 record into the elimination round of the IIHF World Championships in Minks, Belarus.
In his last game, Ovechkin was helped off the ice and taken away by ambulance. Later that night Ovechkin was seen walking without crutches in a hotel lobby and it was determined he had a sprained right knee.
Ovechkin returned to practice with Russia on Wednesday and indicated he would play on Thursday, adding that the injury was not his knee.
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