Capitals’ Ethen Frank leaves game against Avalanche with lower-body injury
The Washington Capitals announced on social media that center Ethen Frank left Sunday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury and would not return.
INJURY UPDATE: #Caps Ethen Frank sustained a lower body injury and will not return to today’s game.
The injury occurred midway through the first period when Frank chased a loose puck in the Avalanche zone and attempted to get a shot on goal. After he fired a shot, Colorado defenseman Devon Toews shoved Frank into the net, with the Capitals’ forward struggling to get up after the play and heading straight to the locker room.
He would not return and finish the game with one shot in 1:22 of ice time.
In 60 games this season, the 28-year-old forward has 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points and 18 penalty minutes. He’s also played in three AHL games with Washington’s AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, where he’s recorded two goals.
In 84 career NHL games, Frank has 16 goals and 15 assists for 31 points and 24 penalty minutes. He also has 82 goals and 45 assists for 127 points and 46 penalty minutes in 164 career AHL regular-season games.
In 34 career AHL playoff games, Frank has 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points. He helped the Bears win back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024.
Before turning professional, Frank spent five seasons playing college hockey with the Western Michigan Broncos. in 158 career NCAA games, the Aurora, Colo., native had 70 goals and 48 assists for 118 points.
The Capitals went into Sunday’s game with a 35-27-8 record and 78 points in 70 games, which puts them sixth in the Metropolitan Division and six points back of a Wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.