The Washington Capitals say Alex Ovechkin will not practice with the team on Thursday for precautionary reasons as he battles an upper-body injury.

Ovechkin took a maintenance day on Tuesday and the team was off on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old played 19:05 and recorded one assist during the team's last game on Monday night, a 7-3 loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. 

In 37 games so far this season, Ovechkin has 24 goals and 28 assists for a total of 52 points. He enters play Thursday one point off the league lead behind Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid's 53.

Ovechkin is also tied for second in goals with Toronto's Auston Matthews and is two off Draisaitl's league-high of 26.

The Capitals will be back in action Saturday on the road against the New York Islanders.