26 Nic Dowd C

Dowd scored a goal on his lone shot in Sunday's 4-3 shootout loss to Pittsburgh.

Dowd got the Capitals on the board with backhander from the slot, tying the game at 12:04 of the opening period. It was the first goal of the season for the veteran checking center, who registered 15 points in 56 games last season.

Dowd will not have his hit on Sabres center Eric Staal reviewed by the Department of Player Safety, Samantha Pell of The Washington Post reports.

Dowd was assessed a minor penalty for an illegal check to the head that sent Eric Staal to the locker room late in the third period, but Pell reports the league can not ascertain from video footage if the hit actually made principal contact with the head. The 30-year-old center is expected to resume his normal role on the fourth line in the second half of Washington's two-game series against the Sabres on Friday.

Down scored two goals, one short-handed, and added an assist in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Penguins.

It's his first multi-point performance since he notched two assists back on Dec. 3, and the first multi-goal effort of his career. Dowd remains an afterthought in most fantasy formats with seven goals and 14 points through 55 games.

Dowd tallied an assist while logging 13:08 of ice time during Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Flyers.

Dowd has managed just one goal and three points in 25 games since the calendar rolled into 2020. The fourth-line-center can be safely ignored for fantasy purposes.

Dowd registered an assist, five shots and four hits during Tuesday's 4-3 shootout win over the Jets.

Dowd had gone 19 games without a point heading into Tuesday's action. With just 11 points in 50 games, the 29-year-old center is a non-factor in most fantasy formats.

Dowd tallied a goal, two shots and two hits during Sunday's 5-4 overtime victory against the Sharks.

The marker brings Dowd to five goals and 10 points in 30 games on the season -- but he has three goals and four points over his last seven games. Despite the hot streak, the 29-year-old remains largely irrelevant for fantasy purposes due to a lack of offensive opportunity.

Dowd (personal) returned to practice Thursday, Tom Gulitti of NHL.com reports.

Dowd missed Tuesday's game against the Islanders to be with his wife for the birth of their child, but he'll be available for Friday's clash with Carolina. The 29-year-old has picked up nine points in 28 games this campaign.

Dowd (personal) will be out of the lineup Tuesday against the Islanders, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports..

Dowd will miss the game to be with his wife while the two await the birth of their child. Travis Boyd is expected to draw in for the 29-year-old center on the fourth line.

Dowd will not be in the lineup Monday against the Blue Jackets, Samantha Pell of The Washington Post reports.

Head coach Todd Reirden wants to give Travis Boyd some playing time given that the team's fathers are in tow during their current road trip. With just two assists in his last nine games, the 29-year-old does not possess much fantasy relevance even after he returns to the lineup.

Dowd had two assists and two shots on goal in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Sharks.

Dowd's assists came on both Garnet Hathaway goals in the contest. Dowd is up to six points in 18 contests. He's a decent fourth-liner, but he's averaged just 10:11 per game this season -- his contributions to the offense are too infrequent to interest fantasy owners.

Dowd (upper body) will be in the lineup against Florida on Wednesday, Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports.

Dowd will be back in action following a five-game stint on injured reserve. The center figures to slot into a fourth-line role alongside Brendan Leipsic and Beck Malenstyn, which likely won't offer Dowd much in terms of scoring opportunities and will limit his fantasy value.

Dowd (upper body) is still awaiting final medical clearance but expects to be in the lineup versus Florida on Wednesday, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Dowd missed the previous five games due to his upper-body injury and will need to be activated off injured reserve before he can rejoin the lineup. The club will need to make a corresponding move in order to clear space under the 23-man roster limit, though a retroactive tag on Nicklas Backstrom (upper body) could be a short-term fix. If Dowd is cleared to play, it figures to be in a bottom-six role with mid-range fantasy impact at best.

Dowd (upper body) won't suit up for Saturday's matchup with Vancouver, NBC Sports Washington reports.

Dowd will miss a fifth straight game due to an upper-body issue, but he can be activated off injured reserve as soon as he's healthy. The center's absence, combined with that of Nicklas Backstrom (upper body), has opened the door for Beck Malenstyn and Michael Sgarbossa to log some time in the NHL, though both players figure to be sent back to AHL Hershey once Backstrom and Dowd are cleared to play.

Dowd was placed on injured reserve Wednesday but is eligible to be activated ahead of Saturday's clash with Vancouver.

While Dowd won't be available versus the Rangers on Wednesday, his placement on IR was retroactive, which means he could play as early as Saturday. With Carl Hagelin (upper body) and Nicklas Backstrom (upper body) also on the shelf, the club promoted Beck Malenstyn and Mike Sgarbossa from AHL Hershey.

Dowd (upper body) won't suit up in Wednesday's road game against the Rangers, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Dowd was already sidelined for Monday's action against Anaheim and will miss more time. He's posted just four points in 14 games this campaign, so his absence isn't likely to affect the team too much. It's unclear when Dowd will be ready to rejoin the lineup, but he'll likely be limited to a fourth-line role when healthy, limiting his fantasy potential.

Dowd (upper body) won't play in Monday's matchup with Anaheim, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Dowd will miss his third straight game due to his upper-body issue. Prior to getting hurt, the Alabama native notched four points in 14 games, but was forced to serve as a healthy scratch on six different occasions. Once cleared to play, the natural center may still spend some time in the press box, which limits his fantasy value to mid-range at best.

Dowd (upper body) won't play in Saturday's matchup against the Bruins, Matt Kalman of NHL.com reports.

Dowd will remain on the shelf for a second straight game, and he'll aim to return to the lineup Monday against the Ducks. The Capitals recalled Travis Boyd from AHL Hershey to fill in on the fourth line.

Dowd (upper body) is considered day-to-day, JJ Regan of NBC Sports Washington reports.

Dowd definitely won't play Friday against Montreal, and at this point it's probably safe to assume that he won't be available for Saturday's matchup with Boston, either. However, if he somehow makes a swift recovery prior to that contest, the Capitals will undoubtedly release another update on his status. For now, the team will likely turn to its AHL affiliate for help up front.

Dowd is dealing with a hand injury suffered versus Philadelphia on Wednesday, Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports.

Depending on the severity of the cut on Dowd's hand, he could be in danger of missing Friday's matchup with Montreal. The Alabama native is stuck in a seven-game goal drought and has put just six shots on goal over that stretch. Given his limited offensive upside, Dowd's potential absence is unlikely to affect the majority of fantasy owners.

Dowd (lower body) will be available for Thursday's game against Florida, Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports.

It isn't clear if coach Todd Reirden will insert Dowd into the lineup against the Panthers, but the 29-year-old will be available if needed. The 6-foot-2 forward has picked up three points while averaging 10:01 of ice time in 11 games this campaign.