Aliaksei Protas took another big step in his possible return to the Washington Capitals’ lineup.

Ahead of Game 3, Protas skated with his Caps teammates at Montreal’s Bell Centre on Friday, marking the first time the 24-year-old forward has done so since suffering a skate-cut injury to his left foot on April 4.Monumental Sports Network’s Tarik El-Bashir posted video of Protas, donning a red practice jersey, completing a drill with his teammates at the morning skate.

Per NHL.com’s Dan Rosen, head coach Spencer Carbery called Protas “a possibility for tonight” during his pregame media availability. Protas has missed the Capitals’ last eight games due to injury — the final six of the regular season and the first two games of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Canadiens.Getting Protas back would provide a big boost for the Capitals, who are already up 2-0 in the series. Protas recorded 66 points (30g, 36a) in 76 games during the 2024-25 season. The Capitals were dangerous at five-on-five during the winger’s minutes, seeing 53.6 percent of shot attempts, 51.6 percent of expected goals, and 54.4 percent of high-danger chances.

Despite Protas taking the next clear step toward a return, per El-Bashir, he stayed on the ice after the skate for extra work, typically indicating that a player will not dress for the game later in the day.With Protas out, Anthony Beauvillier has taken his spot on the team’s top line with Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome. The move has paid dividends for Carbery as Beauvillier posted three points (1g, 2a) in the first two games of the series on home ice, including assists on both game-winning goals.Game 3 is set for a 7:00 pm puck drop.