Preview: Devils at Capitals

10.12.24 GamePreview

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (2-1-0) AT WASHINGTON CAPITALS (0-0-0)

The Devils hit the road for their first road trip of the season, one game in Washington D.C. against the Capitals.

Read more in today's Game Preview.

WATCH & LISTEN

TV: MSGSN

RADIO: Devils Hockey Network 

GAME-DAY VIDEO
Devils Minute: D.C. Energy
Pre-Game Interviews with Players: Tatar | Dillon
Pre-Game Interview: Sheldon Keefe

The Devils visit DC to face the Capitals in their home opener.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

There was change with two lines at morning skate as Paul Cotter moved to play with Erik Haula and Stefan Noesen while Ondrej Palat, Curtis Lazar, and Nathan Bastian were put together. The workflow at morning skate was as follows:

Meier - Hughes - Bratt
Tatar - Hischier - Mercer
Cotter - Haula - Noesen
Palat - Lazar - Bastian

Dillon - Hamilton
Siegenthaler - Kovacevic
Casey - Nemec

Head coach Sheldon Keefe discussed how the line with Bastian and Lazar has shown up in the start of the year and why he's switching personnel:

“Those guys have been consistently good every single game all the way back to preseason,” Keefe said on the fourth line. “I thought they were probably our most effective line in our last game. Trying to get Lazar and Bastian, the simplicity and competitiveness and direct nature of their game, to continue and bring out the best in Palat. Cotter, I like what he brought to that line when we used it the one night in Prague for game 2.”

Tonight, the Devils are facing a team opening their season and celebrating their 50th Anniversary. As a result, New Jersey is expecting Washington to start the game strong while bringing plenty of energy and excitment.

"We just have to be prepared and not surprised by their energy, by their aggressiveness," Brenden Dillon explained. "Seems like we’ve been going for a month between the Europe trip and then being home the other night. We just have to understand we’re in this thing now, every shift matters, every play we got to be on our toes. And now, coming into what’s probably going to be a crazy, exciting, and loud environment, and kind of feed off that. It’s the best part about playing in this league."

“We’re fresh off our home opener here and we expected to be on our toes,” Keefe shared on tonight. “And then we were not mainly because the opponent came at us and pushed us and we have to have the same type of mentality.”

“Each guy has to win their 50-50 battles with the puck,” Tatar said. “Quick breakouts, coming on with speed, good changes, and when you combine it all together, that creates a lot of pressure on their team and I think that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

250 for Dawson

Dawson Mercer will play his 250th consecutive game to start his career, all with the Devils. His linemate and head coach discussed his impact on Saturday.

“He’s a good player, works hard, doesn’t do anything that’s going to give you a reason to consider taking him out,” Keefe said. “Very smart, versatile player. He’s done a tremendous job on the penalty kill. Really good job on the penalty kill, it’s been very impressive … very versatile guy who can give a boost to whatever line he’s on.”

“I feel Dawson was very mature since he’s gotten here, but obviously you can see the steps that he’s taking forward,” Tatar shared. “In the crucial moments he can make the right play, the decisions are a lot more mature than they used to (be). It’s awesome to see him growing and I’m very happy he’s here and he signed with the Devils.”

Tatar also spoke about the identity of his line with Mercer and Captain Nico Hischier and how they're starting the year.

“We try to play the right way defensively,” Tatar explained. “I think we’re very responsible line, we’ve been used a lot in d-zone draws. I think we’re kind of unfortunate with the pucks coming in for us right now, we’re hitting a lot of posts. But I think it’s all a matter of the process and when we do it the right way it’s going to eventually come.”

Back in D.C.

During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, Brenden Dillon was a defenseman for the Washington Capitals. Although he has played in this building as a visitor, he shared what he thinks about when he plays against his former teams.

“It’s tough,” Dillon explained. “I’ve always found it tough. I’ve been traded a couple times and now obviously signing somewhere else, it’s tough to play against former teammates and in former buildings where I have unbelievable memories here as a Capital. We had successful teams, and some good memories from playing with those guys, but now you’re on the other side. Usually after the first or second shift you’re able to just go ‘ok, it’s just another hockey game.’”

THE SCOOP

The Devils are three games into the regular season with their first two games in Prague as part of the 2024 Global Series. New Jersey picked up two wins, 4-1 and 3-1, against the Buffalo Sabres. In their home opener Thursday night, the Devils fell 4-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs. New Jersey struggled against the Toronto's forecheck and couldn't overcome a 3-1 deficit after the first period. New Jersey will look to get back into the win column with a stronger performance against the Capitals Saturday.

Paul Cotter and Timo Meier are tied for the team lead with two goals each, while Cotter and Johnathan Kovacevic each share the team lead with three points. Nathan Bastian, Kovacevic, and Jack Hughes each have two assists, which leads the group.

This is a busy start to the season for the Devils as they have 11 games in 21 days. Over the next week, after playing in DC, the team will have one game at home against the Utah Hockey Club before going back on the road. The Devils will face the Hurricanes in North Carolina on Tuesday and the Ottawa Senators on Thursday before returning to New Jersey.

Saturday night kicks off the Washington Capitals’ season, their 50th year in existence. Throughout the preseason, the Capitals went 3-3-0, picking up wins over Boston, New Jersey, and Columbus while losing games to Philadelphia, Boston, and Columbus. Washington have celebrated their 50th anniversary season throughout the week and festivities will continue into the weekend, likely adding to the motivation from the group to pick up a season opening win in front of their alumni.

Washington’s roster has improved from last season as they’ve added in big names like defenseman Jakob Chychrun and forward Pierre-Luc Dubois. Jakub Vrana, who won a Stanley Cup with the Capitals, was signed off a PTO and will likely fill a bottom-six role. Charlie Lindgren, who had a strong season for Washington last year, will get the start in net.

WHO’S HOT

Devils: Timo Meier, who shares the team lead in goals with two, recorded five shots in Thursday’s loss to the Maple Leafs. Meier scored his second goal of the season with six seconds left in the second period Thursday night.

Capitals: Charlie Lindgren is starting the season opener after coming off a strong season with the Capitals. Last year for Washington, Lindgren played 50 games last year and finished the year with a 25-16-7 record. He averaged 2.67 goals against and had a .911 save percentage. Lindgren recorded six shutouts during the 2023-24 campaign.

INJURIES

Devils: L.Hughes (shoulder), Pesce (ankle), Hatakka (upper-body), Vilen (upper-body), Beckman (lower-body)

Capitals: Oshie (back, injured reserve), Backstrom (hip, injured reserve)

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

  • Oct. 12 at Washington
  • Oct. 19 vs. Washington
  • Nov. 23 at Washington
  • Nov. 30 vs. Washington

STATS LEADERS

STATS LEADERS
DEVILS
CAPITALS
Goals
Meier, Cotter, 2
N/A
Assists
J.Hughes, Bastian, Kovacevic, 2
N/A
Points
Kovacevic, Cotter, 3
N/A

GAME NOTES

  • The Devils are one of seven teams that have yet to allow a power play goal to start the year; however, New Jersey is the only team with that perfect record that has played more than one game.
  • Timo Meier leads the NHL with 15 shots. Dougie Hamilton is tied for third with 11.
  • Nico Hischier has the tenth-highest faceoff percentage in the NHL, winning 63.1% of his draws through the first three games of the year.
  • Alexander Ovechkin is 42 goals away from breaking the all-time scoring record in the NHL. Washington's captain enters his 20th NHL season, all with the Capitals