Caps confirm Ovechkin injury not serious

Arlington, VA (SportsNetwork.com) - Fans of the Washington Capitals can breathe a sigh of relief following Monday's news that Alex Ovechkin's injury sustained at the IIHF World Championship is not considered serious.

During Team Russia's preliminary-round game on Sunday, Germany's Marcus Kink caught Ovechkin in the right knee with a hip-check that sent the Russian star head-over-heels onto the ice.

Ovechkin remained face down for several minutes before being helped to the locker room without putting any weight on his right leg. He was reportedly transported to a hospital to determine the severity of the injury.

The Washington winger posted a picture of himself with a thumbs up and the caption "Everything is OK, congrats about the win to everybody" on his Instagram account Sunday nightcould be back for the quarterfinals on Thursday.

"Sasha [Ovechkin] will definitely stay with the team," Team Russia general manager Andrei Safronov told reporters at Minsk Arena, according to the IIHF website. "Even if he couldn't play he'd still be here. He's not just a part of this team, he's a leader."

Ovechkin racked up three goals and six assists over six games in preliminary- round action prior to sustaining the injury.

Kink, meanwhile, was suspended for Germany's final game following a review of the hit on Monday.