Marcus Johansson expects to be in lineup Tuesday night despite right calf injury

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Marcus Johansson said Tuesday he expects to be in the lineup for the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders after his left calf was slashed by a skate in the teams’ previous game on Sunday.

Johansson was one of 13 players who took part in Washington’ optional morning skate on Tuesday, eight hours before the teams meet in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. He was able to finish the session, then chose to share little details about the injury.

“I’m not going to talk about anything that happened,” Johansson said. “I’m ready to play tonight, and that’s all I’m focusing about.”

Coach Barry Trotz said that Johansson “seems fine” and that he figured Johansson would be healthy enough to play on Tuesday. He declined to say specifically if Johansson would be in the lineup.

Johansson was cut by a skate at 14:20 of the first period on Sunday when he was checked by the Islanders’ Cal Clutterbuck. Though he did not return to the ice until after the intermission, he appeared for his first shift of the second period and finished with 15:48 of ice time.

The Capitals will already be without center Eric Fehr, who sustained what the team would only term as an upper-body injury in that same game. Trotz ruled Fehr out for at least the next two games on Monday, and while he was at Nassau Coliseum on Tuesday for the morning skate, he has not practiced after failing to finish that game.

Fehr’s absence would appear to leave an opening for Michael Latta, who, when asked if he would be in the lineup Tuesday night, said “it looks that way.” Latta played in Game 1, but was a healthy scratch for the last two games after right wing Tom Wilson was able to return after sustaining a concussion on April 5.

“It’s just another game for me,” said Latta, a rookie. “I think we’ve played games as intense as this in the regular season. I think our best comes out in these types of series, these types of games. We kind of get challenged, so I mean, for me, personally, it kind of fits right into my style. This is my kind of game. I love this stuff.”