(Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports)

Alex Ovechkin did not take part in the morning skate Tuesday in Arlington because of a lower-body injury and is a game-time decision for tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators.

“He got a little banged up against the Rangers,” Coach Adam Oates said. “He knows his body, he’s been hurt before. He knows whether he can go. We’ll decide tonight, he’s been getting treatments. [We'll] come in tonight and see.”

The specific nature of Ovechkin’s injury is unclear. He spent the entire contest in a physical battle with Dan Girardi and Ryan McDongah and was tied up with the former late in the third period. He also took a hard slash from Carl Hagelin 30 seconds into the second period.

Should Ovechkin sit out it will be a blow to the struggling Capitals, who have lost five straight and 12 of their last 16.

With his 35 goals this season Ovechkin, the league’s leading scorer, has accounted for more than 26 percent of Washington’s offense this year. During this five-game slide, the Capitals have been held to just one goal in four contests and Ovechkin has been responsible for three of the team’s seven goals.

Without Ovechkin in the mix the past two practices – he missed Monday’s for his appearance on the ‘Today Show’ – Washington’s top two lines have featured Marcus Johansson and Troy Brouwer with Nicklas Backstrom and Jason Chimera and Eric Fehr with Mikhail Grabovski.

Back in early November, Ovechkin missed two games with an injured right shoulder. The Capitals won both of the contests he sat out with that ailment —  7-0 at the Flyers on Nov. 1 and a 3-2 shootout victory over the Panthers on Nov. 2.