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Atlanta Thrashers goaltender Kari Lehtonen (R) and Garnet Exelby (L) stop a shot by Washington Capitals Quintin Laing during the second period of their NHL hockey game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia March 21, 2008. REUTERS/Erik S. Lesser (UNITED STATES)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington Capitals forward Quintin Laing has been diagnosed with swine flu, becoming the third National Hockey League player to contract the virus this week.

Canadian Laing, who missed Washington's 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, is having treatment while being kept away from his team mates, the Capitals said on Wednesday.

"If you are showing the symptoms and you don't have the seasonal flu, then the presumption is that you have H1N1," Nate Ewell, senior director of media relations, told reporters.

Asked what precautions the Capitals were taking to combat the H1N1 flu pandemic, Ewell replied: "None beyond what we've done all along which is educate the guys as well as we can."

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Ladislav Smid and backup Colorado Avalanche goaltender Peter Budaj were diagnosed with swine flue this week.

Officially, 1,000 U.S. deaths have been attributed to H1N1 since April.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Ed Osmond)