Capitals’ Aliaksei Protas returns for Game 5 following 10-game absence due to foot injury

The Washington Capitals will see a boost to their forward ranks for Game 5 versus the Montreal Canadiens as Aliaksei Protas is set to return, reports Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network.

Protas has missed the first four contests of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the final six games of the regular season after suffering a foot injury in early April. On the season, the 24-year-old Belarusian-born forward saw 76 appearances with the Capitals in which he collected 30 goals and 36 assists to finish third in team scoring with 66 points.

Originally chosen by Washington in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft, Protas has since skated in part of four seasons with the Capitals in which he has totaled 43 goals and 76 assists for 119 points through 245 career contests. Last spring, Protas made his postseason debut, finishing with two points in four outings.

Protas has also played part of three seasons with the Capitals’ AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. In 2022-23, Protas put up two goals and three assists for five points through nine regular-season showings with Hershey before adding another 13 points counting five goals and eight assists through 20 playoff contests to help the Bears capture the Calder Cup. In all, Protas put up 12 goals and 24 assists for 36 points across three seasons and 67 total appearances with the Bears.

Protas returns to a Capitals squad that enters Wednesday’s contest carrying a 3-1 series lead over the Canadiens. The Capitals pushed the Canadiens to the brink of elimination with a 5-2 road victory in Game 4 in which fellow forwards Dylan Strome and Brandon Duhaime guided Washington with two-point performances.

The winner of the Capitals and Canadiens series will advance to the second round and take on the Carolina Hurricanes who on Tuesday eliminated the New Jersey Devils in a five-game set.