THE SCOOP
After the Lightning shut out the Devils on the road, New Jersey responded with a 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Prudential Center. Thursday's game was extra special for goaltender Jacob Markstrom who picked up a win in his 500th NHL game in the same rink where he played his first NHL game on Jan. 23, 2011. The Devils have discussed the defensive buy-in and strong execution in their last 10 games as a significant step towards the team's identity. Solid play through this segment has helped the Devils go 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.
New Jersey has seen plenty of players score this season including off-season addition Stefan Noesen, who is tied for the team lead with 10 goals. Captain Nico Hischier and forward Jesper Bratt also have 10 to start the year. Bratt and Jack Hughes share the lead for assists with 17, while Bratt has sole claim to most points on the Devils with 27. Special teams have been a strength for the Devils all season long. New Jersey's power play is 4th in the league (30.3%) while the penalty kill is seventh in the NHL (83.3%).
Jacob Markstrom has played 15 of the Devils' first 22 games. He has a 9-5-1 record, is averaging 2.54 goals-against, and has a .907 save percentage. Jake Allen makes up the second half of New Jersey's goaltender tandem. Through seven games played, Allen has a 4-2-1 record. He's averaging 2.30 goals-against and has a .916 save percentage.
Saturday's game wraps up the Devils Moms' Trip which started Thursday night. New Jersey will have three of their next four games at home after traveling a significant portion of November.
The Capitals' three-game win streak was snapped Thursday night with a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Head coach Spencer Carbery shared he felt his team was "average" against the Avalanche while the opponent's top players were dictating play. Former Devil Miles Wood had the game-winner for Colorado. Despite Thursday's loss, Washington has had a fast start to their season, with a 13-5-1 record. One of the reasons for their success is the offensive production by their captain Alexander Ovechkin. In his chase for the NHL scoring record, Ovechkin started the year with 15 goals through 18 games. However, the captain is out for 4-6 weeks with a broken fibula.
Forward Connor McMichael is another big part of Washington's offensive production as he's contributed 12 goals in 19 games. Dylan Strome, who leads the Capitals in assists (22) and points (28) has consistently contributed. Washington averages 4.16 goals per game which is second highest in the NHL. Defensively, the Capitals are allowing only 2.74 goals per game on average, which is ninth best in the league. Part of their success with limiting goals against is their strong penalty kill (3rd - 86.7%).
The Capitals have split the workload between their goaltending tandem of Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren. Each goaltender has played one game against the Devils this season. New Jersey scored four against Lindgren in their 5-3 victory on Oct. 12, while Thompson allowed five Devils goals in the Capitals' 6-5 overtime win on Oct. 19. Thompson did backstop the Capitals on Thursday night, but no starting goaltender for Saturday has been announced yet. Following Saturday's game, the Capitals head down to Florida for a two-game road trip before returning home.
WHO’S HOT
Devils: Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes continue to be a dynamic duo for the Devils. Both players recorded three points in the Devils' 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday night (Hughes 3a, Bratt 2g, 1a). Hughes and Bratt are tied for most assists on the Devils (17). While Bratt has the team lead in points (27), Hughes is right behind him (25). On a line together, the two use their elite skill and hockey-IQ to connect for highlight reel goals for the Devils.
Capitals: Dylan Strome's name is a constant on the scoresheet this season. In fact, through the Capitals first 19 games of the year, Strome has been without a point only three times. The forward started the year on a six-game points streak and has had two separate five-game points streaks since. He's leading the Capitals in assists (22) and points (28) and continues to make an impact in his third season with Washington.
INJURIES
Devils: Bastian (jaw, IR), Lazar (knee, IR), Hatakka (shoulder, out indefinitely)
Capitals: Ovechkin (fractured fibula, 4-6 weeks), Milano (upper-body, IR), Oshie (back, IR), Backstrom (hip, IR)
REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS
