ARLINGTON, Va. — The Washington Capitals have placed star player Alex Ovechkin on injured reserve, prompting the team to call up fellow Russian winger Ivan Miroshnichenko from their minor league roster.

Ovechkin is currently dealing with a lower left leg injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least the next three games, as he is classified as week-to-week. The 39-year-old forward sustained the injury following a collision with Jack McBain from Utah during a game Monday night, indicating he may be out for an extended period.

This setback comes as Ovechkin actively aims to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s record for career goals in the NHL. He is 27 goals short of breaking Gretzky’s record, having found the back of the net 15 times within the first 18 games of the current season. Prior to the injury, Ovechkin appeared poised to reach the milestone of 895 goals around February. Earlier that same game, he had tied a league record by scoring against his 178th different goaltender.

Along with Ovechkin’s placement on injured reserve, the Capitals have also put winger Sonny Milano on long-term injured reserve due to an undisclosed upper-body injury that has kept him off the ice.

As the team navigates these injuries, they will look to other players to step up and fill the void left by their star players, especially given the challenges posed by upcoming matchups in the league.